Psychological Research Supports the Folk

¶ … psychological research supports the folk wisdom that 'birds of a feather flock together'? But there is little empirical support for the folk wisdom that 'opposites attract.' According to social psychologists, why do we tend to find people similar to us attractive?

The theory posited by social psychologist is that we as a species are driven by our survival instinct to create suitable conditions for procreation. Among the, the seeking of a mate who is socially and emotionally compatible is critical as a way of forging a lasting union suitable for the creation of offspring. It also helps to facilitate cross-inclusion of both members of a union in their respective familial cultures.

Describe some of the criticisms that have been offered against the evolutionary theory of attraction.

One major criticism against the evolutionary theory of attraction is that it risks the imposition of expectations and sociocultural values on the way that attractions are formed. This can levy undue values and ideals that can stand in the way of positive relationship formulation for seemingly non-compatible but attracted individuals.

How is Caryl Rusbult's (1983, 1991) investment model of relationships similar to and different from traditional social exchange theory models of relationships?

Ultimately, the two theories share in common the understanding that through contribution of positive and functional behavior, one will receive the same in return. Whereas in the latter, this applies to the achievement of civil order, in the former it refers to the achievement of order within a personal relationship.

Keeping in mind Robin Akert's (1998) research on the dissolution of romantic relationships, what strategy should you pursue the next time you are faced with a romantic breakup?

Akert's discussion reveals that the experience in a breakup is largely shaped by one's role in either initiating or being on the receiving end. Therefore, in the event of a romantic breakup, I would consider taking steps to demonstrate our mutual need for dissolution based on our core non-compatiblity.

Do men and women differ in their tendency to help? If so, how?

Men and women differ largely in the manner in which they attempt to help. According to the primary text, whereas men tend to attempt to take over a situation, women will look for ways to offer support.

Some social psychologists, such as Daniel Batson (1991), believe that humans do sometimes help for selfless reasons. According to Batson, when does this happen?

According to Batson, one of the core reasons that human tend to help others is out of a sense of empathy. This is an emotional trigger that causes us to relate to the needs of others.

How do sociobiologists use the concepts of kin selection and the reciprocity norm to explain human prosocial behavior?

Sociobiologists argue that in the acts of both kin selection and reciprocity norm, human beings are motivated to good behavior by the interest of survival. For instance, with kin selection, perpetuation of the species promotes civil behavior in the interests of courtship.

Are school shootings such as the Columbine Massacre simply the result of deranged individuals acting independently? What does social psychology suggest about why school shootings occur and about how the problem might be addressed?

School shooting are the product of a sociocultural environment where exclusion and alienation ultimately transform into the and violence. The psychology of such acts suggests there is not enough outreach for and understanding of those who are socially disenfranchised.

In 1970, the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography concluded that in and of themselves, sexually explicit materials do not contribute to violence against women, sexual crimes, or other antisocial acts. Fifteen years later, Attorney General Edwin Meese convened a commission to revisit the question. The Meese Commission findings directly contradicted the 1970 Commission findings. Who was right?