Attraction
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Biological origins of attraction
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Evolutionary explanation 1:
Neurobiology of love
• According to Fisher
(2004)love has evolved and
has produced three distinct
motivational brain systems
in all birds and mammals
to direct courtship, mating,
reproduction, and
parenting: attraction, the
sex drive, and attachment.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Evolutionary explanation 1:
Neurobiology of love
• The three systems
interact with each other
to produce the
combination of
emotions, motivations,
and behaviors
associated with “love”.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
1. Attraction
• is the equivalent to human
romantic love in animals
according to Fisher (2004).
• Attraction is characterized by
increased energy, focused
attention on a specific mate,
obsessive following, romantic
gestures, possessive mateguarding, and motivation to win
a preferred mating partner.
• Attraction evolved to motivate
individuals to select and focus
courtship attention on a
favored partner.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
2. The Sex Drive
• (libido) is characterized
by craving for sexual
gratification.
• In humans, this is
associated primarily
with testosterone in
both men and women.
The sex drive evolved to
produce offspring.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
3. Attachment
• Mutual nest building,
grooming, maintenance of
close proximity, separation
anxiety, and shared parental
chores characterize
attachment in animals.
• Oxytocin
• Attachment evolved to
motivate individuals to stay
with the preferred
reproductive partner long
enough to complete parental
duties and experience this as
rewarding.
fMRI study of neurobiological mechanism of attraction
Fisher et al. (2003)
Aim:
• To investigate the neural
mechanisms associated
with the attraction system
(romantic love).
Procedure:
• Participants were 10
women and seven men
aged from 18 to 26, who
reported being in love for
an average of 7.5 months.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
fMRI study of neurobiological mechanism of attraction
Fisher et al. (2003)
• The participants first filled out
a questionnaire (The
Passionate Love Scale) to
investigate how they felt
about their relationship.
• Then they were placed in the
fMRI scanner. They first looked
at a photograph of their
beloved, then performed a
distraction task of counting
backwards, and finally they
looked at a photograph of a
neutral acquaintance.
• This was repeated 6 times.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
fMRI study of neurobiological mechanism of attraction
Fisher et al. (2003)
Results:
• There was increased
activity in the dopamine
rich brain areas associated
with reward, motivation,
and goal orientation when
participants looked at their
lover.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
fMRI study of neurobiological mechanism of attraction
Fisher et al. (2003)
• The results indicate the
possibility of brain circuits
dedicated to attraction
(romantic love).
• The same brain circuits have
been associated with
“addiction”, which could
support the hypothesis that
“romantic love is an
addiction”.
• Fisher argues that “romantic
love” is universal and based
on neurobiological factors.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Evolutionary explanation 2:
Partner selection based on genes
• Natural selection would
favor couples that have
genes which mutually
enhance their offspring’s
chances of survival. This
could be one way to select
a “preferred partner”.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment – or investigating mate preference
based on genetic makeup in relation to immune system functioning
Wedekind (1995)
• The experiment studied
whether females would
be able to identify
males who had a
genetic make-up which,
in combination with her
own, would boost the
immune system of
potential children.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment
• The study focused on a
particular complex of
genes (MHC genes) in the
immune system known
for the ability to protect
against pathogens.
• A group of 94 students
(half male and half
female) participated in
the experiment.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment
• The men were asked to
sleep with a T-Shirt for
two nights and keep it
in a plastic bag.
• After two days the
women were asked to
rate how agreeable they
found the smell of the
T-shirts.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment
• The women had to smell
seven different T-shirts.
• One was a control.
• Three of them contained Tshirts from men with an
immune system similar to
their own.
• Three contained T-shirts
from men with an immune
system that was dissimilar
to the women’s own –this
should be the best match in
terms of genes.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment
• Results showed that
women preferred the
odors of men with an
immune system
dissimilar to their own.
• This lends support to
the evolutionary
explanations of mate
selection in humans.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The sweaty T-shirt experiment
• The experiment
demonstrated that
attraction was
influenced by biological
factors.
• The women preferred
men with a genetic
make-up that could
increase the health of
potential babies.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Evaluation of evolutionary
explanations
• Research studies make it
plausible that there are
universal biological systems
involved in attraction and love
but this does not rule out that
cultural factors may play an
important role in attraction.
• Evolutionary theories cannot
explain attraction and love
between same-sex partners
since such relationships are
not formed to produce
offspring.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Psychological origins of attraction
But this instead
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
NO longer this
Similarity-attraction hypothesis
Burne (1971)
• The theory assumes that
people are likely to be
attracted to individuals
who are perceived to be
similar to themselves.
• People who share our
attitudes and values
validate ourselves and
boosts our self-esteem,
which in turn leads to
attraction.
• Well supported in
research!!!
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Similarity-attraction hypothesis
Markey and Markey (2007)
• Aim: To investigate the role
of similarity in choosing
romantic partners
Procedure:
• A self-selected sample of 103
female and 66 male
undergraduate students who
were single but interested in
finding a romantic partner
(mean age 19.01) were
recruited through
advertisements.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Markey and Markey (2007)
• Participants first completed
a questionnaire where they
rated their own personality
and then described the
personality of their
romantic ideal.
• They also completed filler
questionnaires to disguise
the true purpose of the
study.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Markey and Markey (2007)
• The results showed that all
participants wanted a
romantic partner similar to
themselves.
• Warm people were
attracted to others who
were warm.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Markey and Markey (2007)
• A follow-up study with a
new sample found that
romantic couples who
experienced high levels of
love and harmony were
more likely to consist of
one individual who was
dominant and one who
was submissive.
• What does this mean?
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Sociocultural origins of attraction
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Proximity factor
• The proximity theory of attraction suggests that
simply being in the physical presence of
another individual will enhance the probability
of becoming friends.
The role of proximity on friendship patterns
Festinger et al. (1950)
Aim:
• The aim of the field study
was to investigate
formation of friendship
patterns at Westgate
Housing for student
couples.
Procedure:
• The researchers made
observations and
interviewed the residents
regularly.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The role of proximity on friendship patterns
Festinger et al. (1950)
Results
• Results showed that
proximity or opportunities to
bump into each other on a
daily basis increased chances
for friendships.
• After some months more
than 10 times as many
friendships had developed
with people who lived in the
same building, and even
more with people who lived
next door.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
The role of proximity on friendship patterns
Festinger et al. (1950)
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
• The researchers suggest
that physical proximity
increases opportunities for
interaction, which in turn
increases familiarity.
• mere exposure effect is
enough to increase liking.
• Also, we seem to be most
attracted to people who are
similar to us (see the
similarity-attraction
hypothesis) because people
who resemble us or agree
with us also reassure us
(Fiske, 2004).
The role of proximity on friendship patterns
Festinger et al. (1950)
• Geographical proximity may
still be a factor in finding
friends and lovers but with the
Internet, dating sites, and chat
rooms people at distance can
now easily contact each other
and develop friendships or
romantic relationships.
• The Internet is thus creating a
“psychological proximity” that
can replace the “geographical
Examine biological, psychological, and social
proximity”.
origins of attraction
Cultural factors in attraction
• Evolutionary theories
claim that attraction is
determined by biological
factors.
• This implies that men and
women should prefer the
same in their partners
(universal factors) but
this is only true to some
extent.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
Aim:
• The aim of the
International Mate
Selection Project was to
identify the characteristics
that individuals valued in
potential mates
worldwide.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
Procedure
• Participants were 9,474 individuals from 37 crosscultural samples (33 countries and five islands on six
continents; mean age 23.15).
• The data was collected through two questionnaires
developed in the USA and translated.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
Results:
• Respondents in nearly all
cultures rated “mutual
attraction and love” as
the most important in a
relationship.
• This shows that the desire
for mutual love in a
relationship is not merely
a Western phenomenon.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
• “Chastity” showed the
largest effect for culture
(37% of the variance).
• Chastity was valued in
China, India, Taiwan,
Palestinian Israel, and
Iran.
• Respondents in the
Netherlands and the
Scandinavian countries
did not care about
chastity.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
• “Good financial
prospects”, “good earning
capacity”, ambition, and
social status are
consistently valued more
in a partner by women
than men cross-culturally.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
• “Youth” is valued more
by men than women.
• Men prefer wives that
are younger but how
much younger depends
on the culture.
• In cultures that allow
many wives, there may
be large age
differences.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
• “Physical attractiveness”
in a partner is valued
more by men than
women.
• Cross-cultural norms of
physical attractiveness
are, for example, clear
and supple skin, regular
features, full lips.
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Buss et al. (1990)
Examine biological, psychological, and social
origins of attraction
Evaluation:
• The study suffered from problems of translation
back translation in the questionnaires, which
could decrease validity of the results.
• The samples for each country were not
representative so it is impossible to generalize the
findings.