The two-factor theory of emotion specifically suggests that passionate love can be facilitated by

Abstract

The last two decades have seen a tremendous surge in research on romantic love, beginning with Rubin's development of separate scales for the measurement of love and liking. Other major conceptualizations, with supportive evidence, are Davis's distinction between love and friendship, Hazan and Shaver's attachment theory of love, Hatfield's distinction between passionate and companionate love, Lee's typology of six lovestyles (eros, ludus, storge, mania, agape and pragma), and Sternberg's love triangle made up of intimacy, passion and decision/commitment. Some progress also has been made toward an evolutionary perspective and a neurophysiological understanding of love.

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Science Progress commissions world authorities to contribute articles on the most interesting, important and meaningful topics - ranging from cosmology to the environment, and publishes occasional issues on specific topics.

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41.Research on physical attractiveness indicates that men are more likely than women to:A)express dissatisfaction with their own physical appearance.B)deny that their liking for physically attractive dates is influenced by good looks.C)judge members of the opposite sex as more attractive if they have a youthfulappearance.D)marry someone who is less physically attractive than they themselves are. 519. Liking those who share and validate our attitudes is best explained in terms ofA)social exchange theory.B)a reward theory.C)equity.D)the mere exposure effect.

Two-factor theory of love: "People experiencing strong physical arousal may sometimes misinterpret that arousal as love"
Definition from Research in Psychology: Methods and Design by Goodwin

In conjunction with Valentine's Day, today's special Lexicon entry is about a theory on romantic love by Dutton and Aron (1974). 

The two-factor theory of love is derived from a broader two-factor theory of emotion, proposed by Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer in 1962. In short, Schachter and Singer found that if a subject has an unexplained state of arousal, they will use cues in the environment to label the emotional state they are in. 

Based on this, psychologists Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron proceeded to study the two-factor theory in terms of romantic attraction. They ran a field experiment on two bridges over a river in British Columbia - one, a solid wooden bridge 10 feet above the river, while the other, a suspension bridge 230 feet above the river. In both settings, attractive female confederates approached male subjects and prompted them for help on a psychology project. Afterward, the men were given the attractive woman's phone number in case they had any further questions. 

The researchers found that males on the suspension bridge (who presumably felt more anxious and aroused) were eight times as likely to call the female experimenter, compared to those on the sturdy bridge.  Because Dutton and Aron saw potential alternative explanations for this result, they replicated the experiment in the laboratory. This time, they manipulated arousal levels by leading participants to believe they were either going to receive a strong electrical shock or a mild one. 

In the laboratory experiment, Dutton and Aron saw similar results - those warned of strong electrical shock reported being more physically attracted to the female experimenter than those who anticipated mild shock. Thus, the researchers concluded that males could misinterpret feelings of anxiety for physical attraction. 

So if you get struck by cupid this Valentines Day, remember - it might just be anxiety. 

References:

  • Dutton, D. G. and Aron, A. P. Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology", 30, 510–517.
  • Goodwin, C. J. (2009). Research in Psychology: Methods and Design. John Wiley & Sons. p. 86-87. 
  • Malakh-Pines, A. (2005). Falling in love: Why we choose the lovers we choose. CRC Press. p. 14-17. 
  • Schachter, S., & Singer, J. (1962). Cognitive, Social, and Physiological Determinants of Emotional State. Psychological Review, 69, pp. 379–399.

Photo Credit:
http://www.whalerkaanapali.com/assets/resort-images/WHA/WHA-690x380-Resort-Courtyard-with-Couple-on-Bridge-03.jpg

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What does the two

Terms in this set (9) The two-factor theory of emotion specifically suggests that passionate love can be facilitated by: the mere exposure effect.

Which of the following describes the two

The two-factor theory of emotion focuses on the interaction between physical arousal and how we cognitively label that arousal. In other words, simply feeling arousal is not enough; we also must identify the arousal in order to feel the emotion.

Which of the following is an example of the mere exposure effect?

The Mere Exposure Effect is simply a psychological phenomenon whereby people feel a preference for people or things simply because they are familiar. For example, babies smile at the people who smile at them more.