According to the Random House Dictionary (n.d.), attraction is referred to as allurement or enticement, or in physics terms, a magnetic force between oppositely charged bodies that draws them together. But in a field that is not tangible, such as social psychology, defining attraction is a bit more complex, as there is no magnetic force between humans. There are often no words to explain why one becomes attracted to a specific individual. Psychologists have proposed five factors that best determine attractions. These factors can be apparent in exchange and communal approaches, intimacy levels determined by attachment styles, and how relationships are maintained or ended through different theories. The five factors associated with …show more content…
The equity theory of relationships is the idea that people are happiest in a relationship when they feel there is a balance between their costs and benefits, as well as a balance between what the two individuals are giving (Aronson et al., 2013). Under equity theory are either exchange or communal relationships. In exchange relationships, individuals immediately expect rewards in return for their costs and equity is more consciously kept track of. Communal relationships put less focus on equity and individuals actually enjoy helping the other partner even if without repayment (Aronson et al., 2013). In relationship development, the exchange approach may be used more commonly in order to not feel taken advantage of and create a balance in the relationship. Relationship maintenance will often require transitioning to a communal approach to the relationship. This is characteristic of long-term and intimate relationships because people are no longer counting costs and benefits, but rather focusing on helping the other and thinking that things will eventually balance themselves out (Aronson et al., 2013). These approaches may be affected by the individuals’ similarities. If their values and attitudes are similar, there is a chance their actions will be, as well. Attachment styles impact intimacy in friendships and relationships. According to Aronson et al. (2013), attachment style refers to the expectation people have about their relationships,
The attachment style that an individual exhibits as an infant can affect their adult romantic relationships. An attachment pattern is established in early childhood attachments and continues to function as a working model for relationships in adulthood. This model of attachment influences how each of us reacts to our needs and how we go about getting them met. The ability to recognize one 's attachment can help someone to understand their strengths and vulnerabilities in a relationship.
Those with insecure attachments tend to have lower relationship satisfaction compared to those who are securely attached. Those who have a secure attachment style provide a caregiving role, their behaviors are responsive and sensitive, non-controlling and show interest during interactions. Secures are affectionate with touch, enjoy physical contact (intimate & sexual) and are willing to ask for support. Individuals with an insecure anxious attachment are more self-focused and always looking for approval and support from their partner regardless of low and high stress situations. Anxious attachment individuals are also over caring and hyper vigilant. Lastly, individuals with an avoidant attachment value independence and have low levels of self-disclosure. Avoidant individuals are less likely to use touch to express affection and are uncomfortable with intimate sexual contact. In short, being aware of your attachment style and your partners can shed light on marital conflict and possible solutions and corrective behaviors to better marital
Attachment is the emotional bond between humans, which is based on our relationship with a parent or early caregiver during the years of childhood. There are four different attachment styles – secure, preoccupied, dismissive, and fearful – each describing a different way in which individuals interact with others, approach social and romantic relationships, and deal with life.
Individual attachment style and its effects on adult romantic relationships were examined. The hypothesis of this literature review was that insecure attachment style would negatively affect the overall dynamic of adult romantic relationships while secure attachment would promote positive and healthy romantic relationships. Empirical studies looking at attachment style and relationship issues such as one’s views of self and others, communication, sexual intimacy, childhood family dynamic and God were evaluated. Reviews of studies were in line with the hypothesis indicating that insecure attachment does negatively affect the overall dynamic of romantic
What are the social factors that influence interpersonal attraction? Discuss in relation to relevant psychological theories and studies
The insecure/preoccupied anxious attachment style preoccupied, and they seek approval from their partners. They tend to extremely clingy; consequently, pushing the person away with their self-doubts and insecurities. Individuals who have fearful/avoidant attachment style tend to have suffered abuse or sexual abuse, and they want close relationships, nonetheless they cannot bring themselves to be intimate with other people.
From class, I have learned four attachment styles, and these four attachment styles are: Secure, Avoidant, Ambivalent, and Disorganized. We have seen a lot of different people who share different attachment styles. Also, there are people who fall all over the place within these relationship styles. However, the one that I found myself to be the most is the secure style. For example, in my relationship, I am a secure person, and I believe that my boyfriend is also secure. He is not one hundred percent secure, but he falls in that category the most. All relationships do go through some type of issue before they can finally make it. I have discovered that our relationship styles are secure based on how we treat each other. When something is wrong, we talk it out then we move on. One real
The three prototypes explored are avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, and secure attachments which describes how partners will behave in close relationships and how caring and supportive each individual is within their relationship. Avoidant attached individuals are withdrawn from relationships and untrustworthy of others. Anxious-Ambivalent individuals worry often about their partner’s needs being fulfilled as well as theirs and analyze if they’re moving too fast in the relationship when compared to their partner. Secured individuals are completely trustworthy of their partner and confident in their feelings and
The first attraction style is physical, people are attracted to how someone looks. Sometimes this attraction to someone does not last long in a relationship because you find out how the other person really is. The second type of attraction is personality, when someone finds someone hilarious, nice, considerate, honest, and caring, they become attracted to them. The third type of attraction is intimacy, people are attracted to someone because they are able to share their feelings, private thoughts, and reveal things about
Fraley (2002) completed a meta analysis of studies concerning attachment in order to investigate the level of attachment pattern’s continuity throughout life. The study indicated that there was a certain stability of the attachment pattern, and that the stability is independent of time. Even though it is theorized that a secure pattern will be likely to stay unchanged, it is still indicated that experiences such as bad relationships will be able to change the attachment pattern (Fraley,
In Bret Aston Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction, drug and alcohol abuse runs rampant throughout the novel. The main characters of the novel, Sean Bateman, Lauren Hynde, and Paul Denton, heavily use drugs and alcohol throughout the novel. Moreover, as the author portrays, drug and alcohol use are heavily integrated into the college campus culture, as nearly every character is using a wide assortment of drugs or alcohol readily available in the 1980s. Even though awareness of this problem is spreading, drug and alcohol use is still a big concern decades later. First, the problem of alcohol use and abuse will be explained. An analysis will reveal that Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction is an accurate portrayal of the drug culture on college
theorist concludes how attachment styles influence the way an individual conceptualizes themselves as they relate to others. Object, refers to people, an environment, or images
At the beginning of the course the class was introduced the concept of attachment styles. Attachment styles are the types of behavior displayed in relationships shaped by a two-part set of basic assumptions, conclusion, or core beliefs about one’s self and others. In laymen’s terms it is how one person interacts with another either God, spouse, child, friend, or even self. There are four different types of attachment styles and they are: secure, ambivalent, disorganized, and secure. The relationship style that all should aspire to be a secure attachment style, however I would classify myself as having an ambivalent attachment style. This is the attachment style where I believe I am not worthy of love since I am flawed. It also takes the assumption that I will not be able to get the love I need without being angry or clingy.
Attraction plays an important part in developing relationships because when a person is attracted to someone, he or she will want to get to know that person more by spending time with him or her, thus leading to a bond and deeper understanding of each other.
To explain human relationships further, the social exchange theory can be another definite explanation to help distinguish how we feel to be with other people and how one perceives to be with them, either to rekindle their relationship or to question the decisions that make to be in a relationship (Kelley 1959). The social exchange theory can be defined as a term that allows behaviour to be exchanged to allow a relationship between two people to happen (Huston et al., 2013). An individual social life involves interactions between two people which can be viewed as social exchanges in terms of costs and benefits (Nakagawa et al., 2013). By taking the view of human relationships the social exchange theory argues that individuals engage in a cost benefit analysis which forms their relationship with others (Milkie et al., 2004). When the costs and benefits are equal in a relationship, it is defined as equitable (Siddiqui 2008). Moreover, romantic relationships may be difficult for some people as it involves interpersonal skills in order to make them mutually satisfying therefore requires constant maintenance. Recently, Psychologists have begun to look at the breakdown of relationships and the characteristics which requires them to fail. The breakdown of relationship is a theory which explains the failure of certain human relationships and the factors that may be involved such as lack