COMM 330 TEST 3 04 16 2015 Dialectical perspective people have needs for both openness and secrecy Self disclosure verbal communication that reveals something about a person to others May be nonverbal ex wearing a cross Can be impersonal or intimate Social penetration theory theory states self disclosure usually increases gradually as people develop their relationships Six dimensions o DEPTH how personal deep info is o BREADTH how many topics discussed o FREQUENCY how often people self disclose o DURATION how long o VALANCE positive or negative charge of disclosure o VERACITY how honest deceptive disclosure is Three layers of self disclosure o Superficial layer that is easy to penetrate o Social personal layer that is easy for most friends family lovers to penetrate o Very intimate layer core is seldom revealed Self disclosure reduces uncertainty and uncovers similarities Disclosure liking hypothesis predicts that when a sender discloses to a receiver the receiver will like the sender more Increase in in depth disclosure leads to greater closeness and intimacy Liking disclosure hypothesis predicts that people will disclose more to receivers they like Circumstances that affect whether self disclosure leads to liking disliking o Timing of a disclosure o How personality disclosure is o Channel means by which someone discloses o Partners response to disclosure Reciprocity of self disclosure Dyadic effect occurs when a person reveals info and the partner responds by offering info that is at a similar level of intimacy Self disclosure usually begets more self closure Other feels need to match level of intimacy Individuals who violate the norm of reciprocity are perceived as cold incompetent unfriendly and untrustworthy Non directed self disclosure Ex blog posts o Readers don t respond because they don t know if the info is directed to them or a larger audience Attraction force that draws people together a motivational state in which an individual is predisposed to think feel and usually behave in a positive manner toward another person Types o PHYSICAL drawn to looks o SOCIAL hang out be friends with o TASK fulfill instrumental goals o SEXUAL sexual arousal Halo effect perceive physically attractive people as more sociable o Overlaps between some types of attraction exist but there are definite differences Fatal attraction occurs when the very qualities that draw us to someone eventually contribute to the relational breakup o Differences o Initially attractive qualities being fun outgoing o Narcissism pervasive pattern of grandiosity self focus and self importance What attracts us to others 4 general factors that influence how we behave during interactions Personal qualities and preferences that we bring to the attraction Qualities of the other and preferences that they bring to the interaction Qualities of the pair Qualities of the physical social environment Personal qualities perceptions of reward values Attracted to those who we think will bring us more reward than cost Varies from person to person Expectations Peoples expectations determine what they notice as being unusual or usual which influences their attraction to others Peoples expectations have a way of becoming reality o We treat others in ways that make it more likely that they will conform to our expectations o We tend to perceive people as acting in ways that fulfill our expectations regardless of their actual behaviors Beliefs about future interactions More attracted to people we foresee we will meet again BIOLOGICAL aspects of attraction Our bodies to some extent dictate to whom we are attracted to Oxytocin OT the hormone of love the connection chemical Particular regions of the brain are activated during the attraction Love activates reward centers of the brain but deactivates parts associated with critical judgments and negative emotions DEMOGRAPHIC characteristics process Sex Age o Men attracted to others based on physical appearance more o Sex differences in attraction are consistent with our evolution than women as a species o Driven by a strong desire to advance the species o Women look for a mate who are willing to commit and who can provide security for them and their offspring o Whereas men look for most attractive and most potentially fertile prime o Women are attracted to older men with more resources o Men are attracted to younger women in their reproductive o Women are more hesitant than men to report that physical attractiveness is part of their selection process GENDER differences Androgynous many men and women display a mix of feminine and masculine behaviors and beliefs Socialization affects much behavior Women who agree with traditional female roles are more attracted to macho men Thinking about differences between people based on their location in a masculine feminine continuum rather than based on their biological sex may be the better way to understand differences and similarities between people Do not have much effect on the qualities that people seek in their Sexual orientation and age mates Personality ATTATCHMENT STYLE RELATIONSHIP BELIEFS o Destiny beliefs first impressions are fixed o Growth beliefs impressions evolve over time Relationships are a work in progress SELF ESTEEM high self esteem high attraction to others NARCISSISM attracted to others who admire them Other peoples qualities Physical attractiveness o One of top 2 predictors of social attraction o Men height strong jawline broad shoulders hip to waist o Women soft jawline hourglass figure o Both desire someone athletic fit and facial symmetry o Culture Thailand elongated necks China foot binding US ratio botox o People use outward appearances to make judgments about peoples inner character o Halo effect what is beautiful is good sterotype People believe those who are physically attractive are more likely to succeed aka have complete package Hope to gain rewards through association INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS INTERACTION APPEARANCE THEORY People perceive others as more physically attractive if they have warm positive interactions with them ASSIMILATION EFFECT some of the attention that physically attractive people get spills over to their friends They can be at a disadvantage trying to live up to the high expectations imposed by the halo effect Physical appearance only goes so far o Physical attractiveness may not matter once people begin talking to one another instead people would be influenced by another s communication