1. Ch. 9 – Being With Others & Initial Attraction

2. #1. Correlation between social connectedness and physical health
Positive correlation
The more socially connected, the more physically healthy

3. #2. What does it mean to affiliate?
To establish social contact with others

4. #3. What triggers motivation to affiliate?
External threats and fear
Schachter study where people expected to receive shocks – chose to wait in the company of others

5. #4. Four characteristics of shy people
Evaluate themselves negatively
Expect to fail in social encounters and blame themselves when they do
Conform out of fear of rejection
Go into self-imposed isolation

6. #5. The loneliest age group
18-30 year olds
Loneliness occurs at times of transition, which occurs most at these ages.

7. #6. Two theories of attraction
Rewards
Evolution

8. #7. Two predictors of relationships
Proximity - people who are in the same place at the same time
Exposure - the more people see something, the more they like it

9. #9. Studies showing power of physical attractiveness
Teachers given info and pic of students, rated attractive kids as smarter and more likely to do well when all other info was the same.
Attractive people able to get more petition signatures on college campus.
Judges set lower bail and smaller fines for attractive people.
Attractive people make more money (across US and Canada) than comparable less-attractive others.

10. #10. Female characteristics of attractiveness
hourglass figure
large eyes
prominent cheekbones
small nose
wide smile
features that are close to the average and symmetrical – p (face composites)

11. #11. Male characteristics of attractiveness
v-shaped physique
height
broad jaw
features that are close to the average and symmetrical

12. #12. How do we feel after seeing attractive people?
Opposite sex – good
Same sex – bad
Graph on p. 310
*Note: this assumes heterosexuality. Our book does not include research on how this effect changes based on sexuality 

13. #14. Attractiveness and insecurity
Often can’t tell if positive feedback is the result of their work or just their looks
Feel pressure to maintain appearance, which can lead to detrimental behavior

14. #15. Three influencers of attraction
Similarity - we are more likely to be attracted to those demographically similar to us as well as those who hold similar attitudes.
Liking - We prefer relationships that are psychologically balanced.
Balance exists when there’s reciprocity: a mutual exchange between what we give and receive – for example, liking those who like us
Being hard to get - We actually prefer people who are moderately selective more than those who are non selective or too selective.
Wanting what we think we can’t or shouldn’t have

15. #18. Setting Up and Reduced attraction
People like to maintain freedom, so when they feel that threatened, they fight it.

16. #19. Why are women more selective?
They are biologically limited in the number of offspring they can produce.
More likely to seek out a mate who is able and willing to provide for that offspring.
More threatened by emotional infidelity
Prefer older partners

17. #20. Why do men value chastity?
To ensure the offspring is theirs
More threatened by sexual infidelity
Also, seek out best chance at reproduction
Seek youth and signs of fertility and health
*Again, this is evolutionary research based on heterosexual dynamics.