7: Liking and Loving
- Page ID
- 257103
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Chapter Overview
Why are we attracted to some people and not others? How does an initial attraction develop into a close relationship, and what helps relationships last over time? This chapter explores these questions from a social psychological perspective. We begin by examining initial attraction and the factors that influence whom we like. You will explore the role of physical attractiveness, similarity, complementarity, proximity, repeated exposure, and emotions in shaping attraction. You will also consider why certain characteristics influence our judgments of others and how our social environments create opportunities for relationships to develop. The chapter then turns to close relationships and examines how liking and attraction can develop into long-term bonds. You will distinguish between communal and exchange relationships and explore different forms of love using Sternberg's triangular theory of love. You will also examine attachment styles, romantic love, attention to alternative partners, and the ways online behaviors can affect intimate relationships. Finally, you will consider factors that contribute to healthy and lasting relationships, as well as circumstances that may lead relationships to end. Throughout the chapter, you will be encouraged to think like a social psychologist by connecting research on attraction, love, and relationships to your own experiences and everyday social interactions.
Chapter Learning Objectives
1. Initial Attraction
- Summarize the variables that lead to initial attraction between people.
- Outline the variables that lead us to perceive someone as physically attractive, and explain why physical attractiveness is so important in liking.
- Describe the ways that similarity and complementarity influence our liking for others.
- Define the concept of mere exposure, and explain how proximity influences liking.
- Explore the relationship between affect and attraction.
2. Close Relationships: Liking and Loving over the Long-Term
- Outline the factors that define close relationships.
- Distinguish between communal and exchange relationships.
- Explore Sternberg’s triangular theory of love.
- Review research on romantic love and attention to others.
- Outline the role of attachment style in close relationships.
- Consider the impact of Internet behaviors on intimate relationships.
- Review some important factors that can help romantic relationships to be successful.
- Explore key factors that contribute to the ending of close relationships.
- 7.1: Prelude to Liking and Loving
- This page discusses the 80th anniversary celebration of Frank and Anita Milford, Britain's longest married couple, revealing their focus on affection and quality time. It highlights essential elements of a successful marriage, such as respect and commitment, and underscores the importance of close relationships for emotional well-being, self-esteem, and social support.
- 7.2: Initial Attraction
- This page examines interpersonal attraction, emphasizing the significance of physical attractiveness, which strongly influences initial impressions and is often associated with positive traits. Cultural and gender differences exist, with men prioritizing attractiveness in women, while women value social status in men. Similarity in attitudes and values, proximity, and the mere exposure effect are vital for forming relationships.
- 7.3: Close Relationships- Liking and Loving over the Long Term
- This page explores the dynamics of close relationships, focusing on elements that ensure their success or cause their dissolution. It discusses the nature of communal and exchange relationships, Sternberg's triangular model of love, and the impact of equity, commitment, and attachment styles on relationship satisfaction. It emphasizes the emotional challenges of breakups, including grief stages and the role of social support.
- 7.4: Thinking Like a Social Psychologist about Liking and Loving
- This page emphasizes the importance of close relationships for survival, emotional well-being, and health. It explores how these relationships affect happiness, equity, and commitment. Insights for maintaining happiness in relationships are provided, alongside advice for those seeking connections, focusing on similarity, communication, and proximity.
- 7.5: Chapter Summary
- This page discusses the importance of close relationships for happiness, highlighting that interpersonal attraction is influenced by physical attractiveness and social status. It explains how shared values and social exchanges foster relationship development, where passion transitions to companionate love rooted in intimacy.
- 7.6: Additional Learning Opportunities
- This page presents application activities to reinforce concepts on initial attraction and close relationships, including exercises on attraction factors, physical attractiveness, relationship classification, and Sternberg’s triangular theory of love. It also includes strategies to improve relationship quality and features a video by John Gottman on how daily interactions influence relationship success. Critical thinking questions prompt deeper reflection on these themes.
- 7.7: References
- This page presents a curated selection of scholarly articles and studies focused on social psychology and interpersonal relationships. Key topics include attachment theory, physical attractiveness, social exclusion, online interactions, and dynamics of romantic relationships. The research examines various psychological mechanisms affecting mate preferences, jealousy, and how societal perceptions influence relationship satisfaction.
- 7.8: Alternate Text Descriptions
- This page explores psychological concepts of attraction and relationships, including the mere exposure effect, which shows that repeated interactions enhance liking. It discusses how arousal affects attractiveness ratings and represents the continuum of closeness in relationships. Sternberg’s triangular theory categorizes love into intimacy, passion, and commitment.
Thumbnail: Friendship and social bonds. (CC BY-SA 4.0; via Wikimedia Commons).