Relationships

• Evolutionary psychology


  The study of how psychological processes that people use to choose a partner come from evolution
• Evolutionary psychologists believe the psychological processes that people use to choose a partner come from evolution
• These processes may not be conscious
• Attractive traits


  Reliable indicators that a partner is a good bet for passing on our genes
• Singh found that waist to hip ratio was related to attractiveness in women, and argued that this is because it's a reliable indicator of a woman's ability to reproduce
• Natural selection


  The process where characteristics that make an individual more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes become more prevalent in a population
• Sexual selection


  One of the processes of natural selection where certain characteristics that make an individual more able to find a partner and reproduce become more prevalent
• Types of sexual selection

  • Intra-sexual selection
  • Inter-sexual selection
• Intra-sexual selection


  Males compete (often aggressively) and the winner is rewarded with the female. The female is passive in this process.
• Inter-sexual selection


  Males compete for the attention of a female. The female plays an active role, choosing her mate.
• In some species females compete for males, but this is quite rare
• Handicap principle


  Displaying a noticeable handicap to survival (e.g. a large colourful tail) actually indicates survival strength
• If an individual has managed to survive (and their ancestors survived long enough to reproduce) despite having the unhelpful characteristic, then they must have superior genes
• Masculine facial features (e.g. a strong jaw) result from high levels of testosterone, which causes the immune system to be less responsive, so having these features indicates a cost to the individual
• Masculine facial features can be seen as an honest indicator of 'quality' genes - they're only displayed by individuals who can afford the handicap
• Sexual strategies theory


  The theory that men and women apply various different strategies for choosing partners, depending on the situation, to meet the different requirements they have of long-term and short-term partners
• Women try to assess the quality of a short-term partner's genes, whereas men are mostly concerned with a short-term partner's availability and fertility
• Buss (1989) found that women valued variables associated with gaining resources (e.g. money, safe environment) more highly than men, and men valued variables associated with reproductive capacity (e.g. youth) more highly than women
• Buss and Schmitt's (1993) sexual strategies theory is supported by Buss's (1989) findings on gender differences in partner preferences
• Buss's (1989) study found more similarities than differences between men and women's responses, and greater differences between cultures than between genders
• Evolutionary explanations of partner choice don't take into account social determinants of behaviour, such as the opportunity for women to provide for themselves
• Much of the evidence for evolutionary explanations of partner preference comes from studies on other animals, which can't be reliably generalised to human partner preferences
• Filter theory


  A theory that there are a series of 'filters' that operate at different stages of forming a relationship, based on social/demographic factors, similarity in attitudes, and complementarity
• Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) found that couples who had been together for less than 18 months were more likely to have progressed towards a permanent partnership if they had similar values, but among couples who had been together for more than 18 months, it was couples who had complementary needs who were more likely to have progressed
• Winch (1958) found a significantly stronger correlation in spouses between complementary needs than between similar needs
• Levinger et al (1970) replicated Kerckhoff and Davis's study but found no significant difference over time in the correlation between relationship progress and either sharing values or having complementary needs
• Matching hypothesis


  The hypothesis that people tend to choose partners who are as attractive as themselves
• Walster et al's (1966) computer dance study found that participants were paired with someone of similar attractiveness, supporting the matching hypothesis
• There is a significant difference over time in the correlation between relationship progress and either sharing values or having complementary needs
• Attraction


  The Matching Hypothesis Says People Want an Equally Attractive Partner
• Walster et al (1966) - Computer dance study


  1. Advertised a 'Computer Dance' to university students

  2. Secretly rated each student for attractiveness

  3. Randomly paired participants of opposite sex

  4. Participants filled in questionnaire about their date

  5. Contacted participants 4-6 months later to see if they went on further dates
• Participants paired with a similarly attractive partner were not significantly more liked by their date than those paired with a partner with an attractiveness rating different to theirs
• More attractive participants were more liked by their date and more frequently asked out on further dates
• Strengths of the matching hypothesis

  • Murstein (1972) found a strong positive correlation between the attractiveness of partners in real relationships
  • White (1980) found couples who were similarly attractive were more likely to progress to a serious relationship
• Weaknesses of the matching hypothesis

  • Walster et al's (1966) results didn't support the matching hypothesis
  • The hypothesis says matching affects who we choose to start a relationship with, but the evidence comes from relationships that have already started
• Matching hypothesis


  People tend to choose partners who are as attractive as themselves
• Filters described in the filter theory of relationships

  • Complementarity
  • Desirability
  • Social demography
• Similarity in attitudes is not a filter described in the filter theory of relationships
• Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships should be discussed
• Social exchange theory suggests people try to maximise rewards and minimise costs in relationships