Deck 5: Attraction and Mate Selection

Question 1

The mere exposure effect predicts that repeated exposure to ________ will lead to ________.

A) any stimulus; increased liking
B) a neutral stimulus; decreased liking
C) any stimulus; decreased liking
D) a neutral stimulus; increased liking

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Researchers took photographs of women and then made mirror images of the pictures. The researchers then showed the actual photo and the mirror-image photo to the women and to their close friends. According to the mere exposure effect, which photo should people prefer?

A) Both the women and their friends should prefer the actual photo.
B) The women should prefer the actual photo; their friends should prefer the mirror-image photo.
C) The women should prefer the mirror-image photo; their friends should prefer the actual photo.
D) Both the women and their friends should prefer the mirror-image photo.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

On the first day of her consumer behavior seminar, Leona doesnÕt know any of her twelve classmates. Based on the mere exposure effect, who of the following will Leona report liking most at the end of the course?

A) Madison, who sat beside her and missed a few classes
B) Manuel, who sat across the room from her and missed a few classes
C) Jamil, who sat across the room from her and didnÕt miss any classes
D) Leona will like all three of them equally.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Attraction is to ________ as mate selection is to ________.

A) individual processes; dyadic processes
B) dyadic processes; individual processes
C) unrequited love; romantic attraction
D) liking; love

Question 5

Brian is taking a cooking class. On the first day of class, all the students introduced themselves, and Brian noticed that he felt more positively about some of his fellow students than others. BrianÕs feelings best demonstrate the process of:

A) attraction.
B) liking.
C) sexual attraction.
D) the primacy effect.

Question 6

You participate in a study where you meet four other students and work one-on-one with each on a series of activities (i.e., first you are paired with one student, then with a second, etc.). After each activity, you overhear your partner talking to the experimenter about you. According to research by Aronson and his colleagues, which of the students will you like more?

A) Kenisha, who likes you at the beginning of the study and still likes you at the end of the study
B) Will, who likes you at the beginning of the study but not at the end of the study
C) Jamie, who doesnÕt like you at the beginning of the study but likes you by the end of the study
D) Jose, who doesnÕt like you at the beginning of the study and still doesnÕt like you at the end of the study

Question 7

Research about reciprocity has shown that:

A) the effects of being liked influence feelings of attraction more strongly than the effects associated with the qualities of the individuals.
B) the effects associated with the qualities of the individuals influence feelings of attraction more strongly than the effects of being liked.
C) the effects of being liked influence feelings of attraction as strongly as the effects associated with the qualities of the individuals.
D) we like people more the more they like us.

Question 8

The explanation for why the pratfall effect works is that:

A) we like people who are clumsy and use self-deprecating humor.
B) due to upward comparison, we find people whose performance is consistently excellent threatening.
C) we identify people who generally do well but whose performance is occasionally imperfect as being similar to ourselves.
D) due to downward comparison, people whose performance is imperfect boost our self-esteem.

Question 9

Elaine Hatfield and her colleagues randomly matched University of Minnesota freshmen for a Welcome Week dance. When the students were asked to evaluate their dates, the physical attractiveness of the date was the best predictor of whether someone wanted to go out with that person again. What was the second-best predictor?

A) similarity of values
B) sense of humor
C) intelligence
D) There was no second-best predictor.

Question 10

AndersonÕs (1968) list of the top 10 most likeable and least likeable personality traits suggests that:

A) being trustworthy is more attractive than being fun.
B) no one finds dishonest individuals attractive.
C) friendliness is the most attractive personality trait.
D) individuals with a few negative qualities are not attractive.

Question 11

The process of thinking someone would be desirable as a potential intimate partner is called:

A) attraction.
B) dating.
C) sexual attraction.
D) mate selection.

Question 12

The experience of evaluating another individual positively refers to:

A) attraction.
B) dating.
C) sexual attraction.
D) mate selection.

Question 13

Which of the following is supported by research about complementarity?

A) We are attracted to people who possess qualities we lack.
B) Couples may adopt complementary patterns of behavior when they are together.
C) People report being more attracted to individuals who they think have personality traits that they themselves lack.
D) There is no evidence that complementarity is attractive.

Question 14

Using the phantom other technique on college students, researchers have examined the determinants of liking inside and outside the laboratory. Which finding has NOT been supported by this kind of research?

A) The more someone shares our values, the more we expect that person to like us.
B) The less similar someone is to us, the less we like that person.
C) The more someone shares our values, the more we like that person.
D) If someone similar to us is going through a hard time, we like that person even more.

Question 15

The chapter on attraction lists three reasons why we find people who are similar to us more attractive. These reasons are that people who are similar to us:

A) are easy to get along with, are validating, and are probably going to like us.
B) increase our confidence, are validating, and facilitate self-expansion.
C) are easy to get along with, facilitate self-expansion, and are probably going to like us.
D) are validating, increase our confidence, and share our vulnerabilities.

Question 16

Miguel is a college freshman of average physical attractiveness who waits tables at the campus cafŽ to help pay his tuition. Based on what you have learned about attraction research, which of the following women would you expect Miguel to most want to spend time with?

A) Jolanda, a stunning freshman who does some modeling to help pay her tuition
B) Mandip, a freshman of average physical attractiveness who works as a cashier at the local grocery store
C) Casey, a senior of average physical attractiveness who works at the campus library
D) Brenda, a somewhat unattractive senior who works part-time as a waitress

Question 17

You participate in a research study where researchers take your photograph and then make a mirror image of the picture. They then show you the actual photo and the mirror-image photo. According to the mere exposure effect, which photo should you prefer?

A) You should prefer the actual photo.
B) You should prefer the mirror-image photo.
C) You should prefer neither photoÑafter all, who likes photos of themselves?
D) You should like both photos equally.

Question 18

As described in the textbook, Aronson and his colleagues conducted a study where college students listened to an audiotape of someone supposedly auditioning for the chance to compete in a trivia contest. The main implication from this study was that because of ________, people who are ________ are most attractive.

A) the Òwhat is beautiful is goodÓ stereotype; nearly perfect
B) downward social comparisons; clumsy
C) the matching hypothesis; similar to us
D) the pratfall effect; clumsy

Question 19

Research about personality and attraction shows that:

A) the more positive traits a person has, the more attractive that person is.
B) the balance of positive and negative traits predicts how attractive a person is.
C) personality has little effect on attraction.
D) the relationship between personality and attraction is complex.

Question 20

As mentioned in the attraction chapter, ________ refers to ________.

A) the mere exposure effect; the idea that we become more attracted to people (and objects) that we have been exposed to more frequently
B) reciprocity; the fact that sharing common experiences leads us to want to disclose other experiences to an attractive person
C) behavioral synchrony; how people who are attracted to each other coordinate their schedules and availability
D) the phantom other technique; a research method used to study the determinants of physical attraction (e.g., hip-to-waist ratio)

Question 21

Ana is head over heels in love with Mark, a fellow student in her chemistry class. Unfortunately, it seems as though he is barely aware of her existence. Ana makes every effort to be near Mark, including sitting next to him in class, joining the same chemistry study group he belongs to, and even attending their schoolÕs soccer team games when she knows he will be there. AnaÕs behavior can best be described as an example of:

A) unrequited love.
B) consummate love.
C) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
D) the mere exposure effect.

Question 22

You conduct a study about what people find physically attractive by creating computer-generated composites of photographs and asking people to rate the attractiveness of each. Your results show that the composite made up of ________ faces is rated as most attractive.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 16
D) 32

Question 23

Which of the following statements about physical attractiveness is FALSE?

A) Distinctive or unusual faces tend to be rated as more attractive than average ones.
B) The physical attractiveness of potential partners affects the mate choices of men and women to about the same degree.
C) People tend to pair up with mates whose physical attractiveness matches their own.
D) People tend to believe that physically attractive individuals are also attractive in other ways.

Question 24

Javeed has a fear of flying. Every time he has to fly, his heart races and his palms get sweaty. On a recent business trip, instead of being accompanied by his colleague Franco, a new female colleague, Blanca, accompanied him. Meeting her for the first time at the airport, Javeed found himself extremely attracted to her. Based on the chapter about attraction, what could explain JaveedÕs attraction to Blanca?

A) Javeed was distracted by having someone attractive to talk to on this trip, so he did not experience his usual fear of flying.
B) Being accompanied by a woman instead of by a man was soothing for Javeed, so he was better able to handle his fear of flying.
C) Javeed mistakenly attributed his arousal (fast heartbeat and sweaty palms) as a sign of attraction to Blanca.
D) Blanca is a striking woman with unusual features, making her exceptionally physically attractive.

Question 25

Lykken and Tellegen conducted a study of twins that showed that even though monozygotic (identical) twins tend to make similar choices in many aspects of their lives, this is not true when it comes to mate selection. The spouses of monozygotic twins are no more similar to each other than are the spouses of dizygotic (fraternal) twins. What important idea can we infer from this study?

A) Mate selection is a dyadic process and, hence, is rather different from other choices that people tend to make.
B) Attraction has a clear biological substrate, but environment also plays a crucial role.
C) Monozygotic twins tend to select different kinds of partners compared to dizygotic twins.
D) Mate selection is heavily shaped by genetic influences.

Question 26

When it comes to romantic attraction:

A) shared interests are equally as important in predicting attraction as physical appearance is.
B) physical appearance is the largest predictor of attraction for men and women.
C) women are more influenced by physical appearance than men are.
D) men are more influenced by physical appearance than women are.

Question 27

The beauty stereotype suggests that physically attractive people are kinder, more sensitive, and more interesting than less attractive people. What is a downside to being physically attractive?

A) Attractive people are judged as equally vain as less attractive people.
B) Potential partners are only interested in attractive peopleÕs reproductive fitness.
C) Attractive people find it difficult to trust positive feedback from others.
D) Employers are more likely to offer attractive people a job after an interview.

Question 28

The distinction between unrequited love and stalking:

A) is clearÑunrequited lovers are sweet and harmless, whereas stalkers are dangerous.
B) may be difficult to assessÑunrequited lovers and stalkers both believe they can win over the objects of their affections.
C) may be difficult to assessÑit depends on how clearly the object of unwanted attraction communicates his or her lack of interest; he or she may just be playing hard to get.
D) is nonexistentÑit all depends on the interpretation made by the object of unwanted attraction.

Question 29

Nalini is a college senior majoring in mathematics. To help pay her tuition, she works part-time waiting tables at a local restaurant. She enjoys playing soccer and going for hikes. Her friends would describe her as outgoing, kind, funny, and pretty but not beautiful. Based on the matching phenomenon, which of the following men is Nalini most likely to form an intimate relationship with?

A) Trevor, a senior in the math department who plays on the same soccer team as Nalini
B) Jagdeep, a fairly good-looking senior in the physics department who works at the same restaurant as Nalini
C) Tremayne, a somewhat unattractive junior in the math department with whom Nalini goes hiking every other weekend
D) Jose, an extremely attractive senior in the math department who volunteers in a local elementary school helping disadvantaged children with their math skills

Question 30

The matching phenomenon suggests that people tend to pair up with partners who are similar in their:

A) social skills.
B) intellectual capacity.
C) socioeconomic background.
D) physical attractiveness.

Question 31

Research based on sexual strategies theory shows that:

A) men derive benefits only from pursuing many short-term relationships.
B) women have nothing to gain from pursuing short-term relationships.
C) men are willing to lower their standards to engage in short-term relationships.
D) women are willing to pursue a short-term relationship as long as the male partner is dependable.

Question 32

Why might Monica Lewinski have been willing to engage in an extramarital affair with President Bill Clinton?

A) Monica was looking for a long-term relationship; she thought Clinton might eventually leave his wife to be with her.
B) Although giving up long-term commitment, Monica gained access to one of the most powerful men in the world.
C) Because her parents argued a lot when she was young, Monica learned that long-term relationships are not worth pursuing.
D) Monica was coerced into engaging in the relationship.

Question 33

Bev participates in a speed-dating study. On the pre-study questionnaire she reports that physical attractiveness in a potential romantic partner is very important to her. Yet at the end of the study, the people she reports wanting to meet again are not those she rates as being most physically attractive. How can we explain this discrepancy?

A) Bev misunderstood the pre-study questionnaire and does not think physical attractiveness in a potential romantic partner is important.
B) Mate selection is essentially random so BevÕs preferences are not important.
C) The measures did not assess dyadic processes, such as how each person she met made Bev feel.
D) Most people think physical attraction is important, but other qualities such as humor play a larger role in attraction.

Question 34

The process through which a committed relationship is formed is called:

A) hooking up.
B) mate selection.
C) behavioral synchrony.
D) the matching phenomenon.

Question 35

Strategic pluralism refers to the idea that humans:

A) have developed the capacity to pursue long-term relationships or short-term relationships as the circumstances warrant.
B) are evolutionarily predisposed to prefer long-term relationships no matter the circumstances.
C) are evolutionarily predisposed to prefer short-term relationships no matter the circumstances.
D) are likely to pursue more than one relationship at once to maximize their chances of passing along their genes.

Question 36

Social psychologists Donald Dutton and Art Aron had an attractive female research assistant offer her phone number to men in the middle of the high, rickety Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia, and to men on a nearby low, sturdy bridge. The main finding was that the men on the suspension bridge were ________ likely to call the research assistant because they ________ the swaying bridge was the source of their physiological arousal and so attributed their feelings of arousal to ________.

A) less; did not realize; the research assistant
B) more; mistakenly thought; the bridge
C) less; correctly realized; the bridge
D) more; did not realize; the research assistant

Question 37

Research on unrequited love shows that:

A) unrequited love is relatively rare, because being romantically attracted to someone who isnÕt romantically attracted to us in return is not rewarding.
B) because it causes heartache, feelings of unrequited love fade quickly once it becomes clear the other person is not attracted to us in return.
C) being the object of unrequited love is a particularly flattering experience.
D) feelings of unrequited love are likely to persist, because we believe that if we work hard enough we may eventually win the affection of the person we desire.

Question 38

Researchers have studied telephone conversations between unacquainted men and women. In these studies, one of the interaction partners (either the man or the woman) is led to believe his or her conversation partner is either physically attractive or physically unattractive. What is the most important conclusion we can draw from such studies?

A) Attractiveness of a conversation partner has no effect on the nature of the interaction.
B) Men who think they are talking to a more attractive woman are friendlier.
C) Women who think they are talking to a more attractive man are friendlier.
D) Women and men believed to be attractive by their partners behave in a friendlier manner.

Question 39

Sexual strategies theory predicts that:

A) men should pursue long-term relationships only in exceptional circumstances, such as when no women are willing to enter into a short-term relationship.
B) women should pursue long-term relationships only in exceptional circumstances, such as when no men are willing to enter into a short-term relationship.
C) men should pursue long-term relationships when doing so will grant them access to more desirable partners than pursuing short-term relationships would.
D) women should only pursue long-term relationships because the most desirable partners always want long-term relationships.

Question 40

Jessica is a college freshman interested in pursuing a short-term relationship. According to sexual strategies theory, which of the following men would she be most likely to pursue a relationship with?

A) Kabore, who is physically attractive but is not particularly dependable
B) Jonah, who is moderately attractive as well as dependable and loyal
C) Fynn, who is moderately attractive and rich, but prefers to save his money for the future rather than spend it now
D) Luca, who is physically attractive and likes to spend money, but is not particularly dependable

Question 41

10.Explain how situations can affect romantic attraction.

Question 42

After taking this class and mastering the material on attraction, you go to a bar on a Friday night, take a corner table, and observe how people meet and form couples. Which of the following individuals is likely to be the LEAST successful at finding a partner at a singlesÕ bar?

A) Martin, who greets his friends with a loud insult and a punch in the arm
B) Tuan, who tends to mimic the behaviors of the people she finds herself talking to
C) June, who emphasizes her long hair by tossing it frequently
D) Terry, who openly shares personal details of his life shortly after he meets someone

Question 43

What predictions would NOT follow from Altman and TaylorÕs social penetration theory?

A) As you get closer with your roommate, you will discuss more personal information with him or her.
B) If your partner is supportive when you discuss slightly personal information, it is reasonable to assume that he or she will be supportive when you discuss topics that are more intimate.
C) Depth of disclosure between partners tends to be fairly equal across all topical areas.
D) Pace of disclosure tends to slow as disclosures become very intimate.

Question 44

The steps of relationship formation in the staircase model (in order) are:

A) initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, and bonding.
B) initiating, intensifying, experimenting, commitment, and bonding.
C) dating, intensifying, integrating, and commitment.
D) dating, experimenting, intensifying, and bonding.

Question 45

Your sister is about to start her first semester at college and has moved into campus housing. Based on what you know about attraction, which of the following people would you predict that she will most likely form a relationship with?

A) Shakira, who lives in the room next to your sister
B) June, who lives down the hall from your sister
C) Ava, who lives one floor down from your sister
D) Lee, who lives in the building next to your sister

Question 46

An experiment by Bernstein and his colleagues showed that men will crowd into a small viewing cubicle next to an attractive woman to view a film when different movies are being shown in two viewing rooms but will go to a separate cubicle when only one film is available for viewing. An explanation for this finding is that:

A) the men didnÕt like the movie being shown in the other viewing room.
B) when people have a choice of settings, perceived control makes crowding more tolerable.
C) men prefer watching movies in spacious environments when possible.
D) in the two-film condition, there was less risk of rejection.

Question 47

1.Distinguish attraction, romantic/sexual attraction, and mate selection from each other.

Question 48

3.Two of your friends are arguing about what makes someone attractive. One of your friends claims, Òopposites attract,Ó whereas the other insists, Òbirds of a feather flock together.Ó Both point to couples you all know to support their argument. Based on what you have learned in this course, what would you tell your friends about whether similarity or complementarity is more attractive?

Question 49

Proceptivity is to ________ as behavioral synchrony is to ________.

A) attraction; proximity
B) proximity; attraction
C) signaling; mimicking
D) mimicking; signaling

Question 50

2.Briefly summarize the research about personality and attraction. Be sure to discuss the pratfall effect in your answer.

Question 51

7.When he first moved from another state, your friend Annand used an online dating service to look for a girlfriend. Annand is of average attractiveness, plays soccer twice a week, and likes sci-fi movies. Although he continually claimed to be interested in only very attractive womenÕs profiles, his girlfriend of one year (whom he met through the service) is of average attractiveness. Based on the matching phenomenon, how would you explain this apparent contradiction between AnnandÕs claims and actual choice of a romantic partner?

Question 52

4.Describe three reasons why we find people who are similar to us more attractive.

Question 53

6.Early research on reciprocity suggested that we are attracted to people who like us. Explain how subsequent research about the role of reciprocity on attraction has refined this idea.

Question 54

9.Describe how the attributes women and men look for in romantic partners change depending on whether they are pursuing short-term relationships as opposed to long-term ones.

Question 55

5.What is the mere exposure effect and what role does it play in attraction?

Question 56

Which of the following statements about self-disclosure in relationships is NOT true?

A) Relationship development is associated with an increase in depth and breadth of information shared.
B) We like people more after we have disclosed personal information to them.
C) We expect more immediate reciprocal exchange of personal information from our closest friends and partners than either more distant friends or strangers.
D) A pattern of matching and deepening self-disclosures characterizes relationship development.

Question 57

To understand peopleÕs mate choices, it is enough to know about the qualities of the two individuals involved.

A) True
B) False
C) This is true except when partners share temperament qualities.
D) This is false except when partners share qualities that indicate loyalty.

Question 58

The fact that we tend to form relationships with those closest to us demonstrates the principle of:

A) proceptivity.
B) mate selection.
C) proximity.
D) attraction.

Question 59

8.Your friend wonders why female celebrities who have unusual facial features are judged as being most physically attractive. Based on what you have learned about physical appearance and attractiveness, what do you tell your friend?

Question 60

Research about commitment suggests that:

A) whether a relationship becomes more or less committed depends on the enduring qualities of the two partners.
B) how quickly partners make a commitment to each other depends on the speed of their self-disclosures.
C) committed couples tend to avoid discussing threatening topics.
D) relationships can become more or less committed for reasons that have little to do with the qualities of the two partners.

Question 61

12.Proximity is a prerequisite for relationship formation. Does living close to people make them intrinsically more attractive? Explain why or why not.

Question 62

15.Kara and her girlfriend have just said I love you to each other for the first time. Why would researchers studying commitment describe this as a turning point in their relationship?

Question 63

11.Your friend Abdul claims he is in love with Maia, a woman in his health psychology class. He tells you that so far, he has had no luck in getting her to agree to go on a date with him, but he is certain that if he keeps trying Maia will change her mind. After what you have learned in your intimate relationships course, you conclude that Abdul is experiencing unrequited love. Provide three reasons why Abdul would continue to pursue Maia, despite her repeated rejections.

Question 64

14.What is the problem with stage theories of relationship development? In what other way do relationship researchers conceptualize relationship development?

Question 65

13.Describe Altman and TaylorÕs social penetration theory. How does it relate to attraction?