We are attracted to those who
provide us with direct
reinforcement.
Operant Conditioning
Rewarding stimuli =
Positive Feelings
Punishing Stimuli =
Negative feelings
Attracted to those who we
associate with pleasant events
Classical Conditioning
They gain a positive value as they are
associated with something else which
makes us happy
A02
Supporting Evidence...
GRIFFIT AND GUAY- Creative Task.
Experiementer praised some pp but not all.
The pps raited experimenter higher when
they had been praised, producing positive
feelings in them
ARON ET AL- pps who measured
high on self report quest. also showed
strong activity in areas of brain.
Associated with high dopamine in brain
reward centres
Actural Evidence, cant
br faked, MRI scans,
Highly valid research
CATE ET AL- 337 pps asked to test
current relationship in terms of
need/satisfaction level. Found reward
was superior to other factors in
determining relationship satisfaction
HOWEVER- Hayes found we
also gain satisfaction from giving
as well as recieving
However...
Most of the studies were conducted in a lab
so there is a lack of mundane realism.
Bryne and Clore
A03
GENDER DIFFERENCES.
Women tend to be socialised
to being more attentive to the
needs of men
CULTURAL BIAS.
Reward/Need not relevant in all
cultures. In many cultures,
women focus on needs of
others than recieving
reinforcement
SOCIALLY SENSITIVE- Walster
study. pps may be distressed if they
found out that they had been scored
low on attractiveness.
Similarity
A01
Similar personalities and attitudes
promote liking. We dismidd those who
are dissimilar to us
PERSONALITIES- More
attracted to those with similar
personality traits. Married couples
with similar personalities are more
likely to be happy
ATTITUDES- If partners attitudes
towards important issues differ,
process of attitude alignment occurs.
One or both alter attitudes to similar
A02
Supporting Evidence...
LEHO AND GEHER- Attitude
similarity has an effect on likability.
If a description of imaginary
stranger was similar to pp, rated
higher
Similarity is important as there
is a less chance of being
rejected, which is rewarding
WALSTER- People who are similar end up
together if matched in terms of attractiveness,
intelligence, social standing. He also said we are
more likely to choose someone that we think
wont reject us
Students dance- pps prefered
attractive dates, but asked those
equally mated to those.
MURSTEIN- more likely to date someone of an equal
attractiveness. friends also found to be matched on
physical attractiveness
However...
ROSENBAUM- dissimilarity is more
important as it determines if a relationship
will/wont work out
Assumes that all couples are only
matched on attractiveness Walster
study.
YOSHINDA- points out that it only
represents a narrow view of factors
important in relationship formation.