attractionsurveyresults

8/7/2019 AttractionSurveyResults

1/12

Engaging Student Interest 1

Thanks to John Sellinger for assistance with some of the data analysis. All inquiries regarding this article,

as well as requests for copies of the survey and/or the data upon which these results are drawn, can be

obtained by contacting the first author at the Psychology Department, Marist College, North Road,

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601, or at: [email protected].

Running head: ATTRACTION SURVEY

Engaging Student Interest in Statistics through a

Survey on Interpersonal Attraction

Michael A. Britt

Michelle Aguayo

Amy Rider

Marist College


2/12

Attraction 2

Abstract

In order to engage psychology students in learning statistics and research

methods, a survey was constructed which addressed the topic of interpersonal attraction

and relationship satisfaction; a topic of particular interest to individuals of college age.

This article briefly describes the survey, some of the analyses that were conducted on it,

and the results of an evaluation from students on the usefulness of the survey in learning

statistics. The survey is of particular use to teachers who can use it to demonstrate how

statistics covered in class can be applied to the survey questions to examine a variety of

theories regarding attraction and relationship satisfaction. Teachers of Introduction to

Psychology and Social Psychology may also find it useful, as it helps students to see how

these topics can be studied empirically by psychologists.


3/12

Attraction 3

Engaging Student Interest in Statistics through a

Survey on Interpersonal Attraction

Teachers of statistics and research methods are often faced with apprehension,

fear, and sometimes apathy from students who either do not feel that they will do well in

these courses or who do not understand the importance of research and statistics to the

growth and vitality of our field. To combat this, many teachers allow students to gather

their own survey data on topics that they choose. Since students are involved in the idea

generation and data collection, the approach is generally effective in creating interest in

how the data will be analyzed. However, we find that students often have difficulty

coming up with ideas for a survey, or they are not yet familiar with psychological

theories to form the basis for a good survey. Thus, their choices for topics often end up

holding little sustained interest for them (i.e., typical topics include students GPAs and

how much sleep they get, their dietary habits, etc.).

Eriksonian theory (1963) suggests that the typical college student is at an age

when forming romantic relationships is of utmost importance. Drawing from this, I

directed a class in research methods and statistics toward the fields of interpersonal

attraction and relationship satisfaction as the topic for a class survey. The class and I

created the survey questions and collected the data. The data formed the basis upon

which we applied our knowledge of the various statistical techniques, from the most basic

to the most advanced. Student interest in this survey, from conception to analysis, was

very high and it more than adequately served its purpose in this research and statistics

course. Most statistics courses cover measures of central tendency and variability, as


4/12

Attraction 4

well as t-tests, correlations, chi-square tests, and one and two way anovas. This survey

allows for an opportunity to perform each of these analyses. I will briefly discuss the

topics examined in the survey, give some examples of analyses that were performed, and

then show the results of an evaluation on the effectiveness of the survey in learning

statistics.

The survey addresses five theories that are typically discussed either under the

topic of Attraction in the Social Psychology chapter of an Introductory Psychology text,

or in more depth in a chapter on Attraction in a Social Psychology text. A very brief

overview of these five theories will be given here. Proximity theory, Matching theory

and the topic of Physical Attractiveness all address issues regarding how relationships

begin. The other two theories, Attitude Similarity and Equity theory, address issues

affecting how satisfying a relationship is to those involved. Proximity theory relates to

the observation that relationships tend to begin between people who live close to one

another and therefore come into frequent contact with one another. Major studies in this

area include Bossard (1932), Festinger, Schachter, and Back (1950) and Moreland and

Zajonc (1982). The latter study attributed this observation to the repeated exposure

effect, which states that the greater the exposure between two people, the more positive

the response.

The matching hypothesis has also enjoyed research support, starting with the now

famous computer dating study by Berscheid, Dion, Hatfield, and Walster (1971) in

which students who were rated as similar to each other in attractiveness were more likely

to go on a second date than those who differed in attractiveness. More recent support for

the theory was found by Schafer and Keith (1990) and by Forgas (1993) both of which


5/12

Attraction 5

also found that couples tend to be similar to one another on a variety of factors. The

research on the effects of physical attractiveness is also a rich one, with many studies

finding that attractive people are assumed to have other positive traits. Shepperd and

Strathman (1989), Sprecher (1989) and Hensley (1992) conducted recent studies in this

area, each finding that attractive individuals are desired as potential mates. Physical

attractiveness tends to be a more important factor among males than females and males

tend to prefer females shorter than they are while the reverse is true for females.

Schiller (1932) was the first to document that married couples with similar

attitudes were more satisfied with their relationship than those who differed in their

attitudes. Similar results were found in more recent studies by Capella and Palmer

(1990) and Aube and Koestner (1995). Equity theory addresses the issue of fairness, a

factor that is important in all kinds of relationships. First discussed by Homans (1974),

who used terms such as rewards, costs, profits, and investments, the theory that a

relationship is most satisfying when individuals contribute fairly to it has received a great

deal of support. A recent study by Van Yperen and Buank (1990) shows that inequity

between couples has a negative effect upon satisfaction. Interesting additional findings

are that women tend to contribute more to a relationship than men, and Kollock,

Blumstein, and Schwartz (1994) found that men tended to feel that they benefited more

than their female partner in their relationship.

Students in my class worked in groups and became familiar with the literature on

these attraction theories. Each group then submitted survey questions that they felt would

allow us to test each of these five theories of attraction. Each groups list of questions

was critiqued by myself and other group members until a final version of the questions


6/12


7/12


8/12

Attraction 8

the relationship. These results also provided for a fruitful discussion on the slippery

nature of correlations: students realized that if subjects were satisfied in their

relationships they could have assumedthat they were similar to their partners.

Regarding the importance of physical attractiveness, subjects were asked to rate

how important several characteristics are in their search for an ideal partner. A t-test

revealed that men did rate looks as significantly more important than women (t (257) =

3.13, p


9/12

Attraction 9

SD = 1.1) and responded that it helped them to learn about how statistics work (M = 5.8,

SD = .9). In addition, using the survey as homework exercises was rated as a helpful way

to learn statistics (M = 5.9, SD = 1.5) and they would recommend the surveys use again

in next semesters research and statistics class (M = 5.9, SD = 1.2). To check for a

response set, two questions were asked in which low ratings were expected. Low ratings

(Strongly Disagree) were received in response to the statement that the survey was of

little help in learning statistics (M = 2.5, SD = 1.6) and since some students did have

difficulties in getting access to the data (the data set was accidentally erased on some

computers) the responses to the statement I found it easy to get access to the attraction

data were somewhat lower as well (M = 4.9, SD = 1.3).

Discussion

College students are naturally interested in how romantic relationships form and

what factors are important in making them satisfying. The attraction survey utilizes this

interest to help them learn more about statistics, while giving the teacher a vehicle by

which to teach statistical concepts. Over the course of the semester, my students became

extremely familiar with the data as we analyzed it from many different perspectives. We

asked many questions of the data. Some of these had not even been considered when the

survey was first constructed. Some of the findings, such as those showing that females

were not less satisfied despite saying that they contribute more to their relationship, led to

spirited class discussions. These questions occurred to the students as they became more

familiar with the data, the theories and with their statistical skills. While other data sets

exist for the purpose of exploring statistical procedures (the General Social Survey, for

example), this survey gives focus to student exploration and learning of statistics by


10/12

Attraction 10

allowing the teacher to examine one topic of interest from many perspectives throughout

the entire semester.

While teachers of statistics may find the survey of particular utility, teachers of

Introduction to Psychology and Social Psychology may also find this survey of interest.

It can show students how a topic such as interpersonal attraction and relationship

satisfaction can be studied empirically by psychologists, and it allows students to become

more familiar with some of the theories in this area of psychology.


11/12

Attraction 11

References

Aube, J. & Koestner, R. (1995). Gender characteristics and relationship adjustment:

Another look at similarity-complementarity hypothesis. Journal of Personality,

63(4), 879-903.

Berscheid, E., Dion, K., Hatfield, E. & Walster, G.W. (1971). Physical attractiveness

and dating choice: A test of the matching hypothesis. Journal of Experimental

Social Psychology, 7, 173-189.

Bossard, J.H.S. (1932). Residential propinquity as a factor in marriage selection.

American Journal of Sociology, 38, 219-224.

Capella, J.N. & Palmer, M.T. (1990). Attitude similarity, relational history, and

attraction: The mediating effects of kinesic and vocal behaviors. Communication

Monographs, 57, 161-183.

Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.

Festinger, L., Schachter, S., & Back, K. (1950). Social pressures in informal groups: A

study of a housing community. New York: Harper.

Forgas, J.P. (1993). On making sense of odd couples: Mood effects on the perception of

mismatched relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 19, 59-70.

Hensley, W.E. (1992). Why does the best-looking person in the room always seem to be

surrounded by admirers? Psychological Reports, 70, 457-458.

Homans, G.C. (1974). Social behavior: Its elementary forms. Rev. Ed. New York:

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Kollock, P., Blumstein, P., & Schwartz, P. (1994). The judgment of equity in intimate

relationships. Social Psychology Quarterly, 57(4), 340-351.


12/12

Attraction 12

Moreland, R.L. & Zajonc, R.B. (1982). Exposure effects in person perception:

Familiarity, similarity, and attraction. Journal of Experimental Social

Psychology, 18, 395-415.

Schafer, R.B. & Keith, P.M. (1990). Matching by weight in married couples: A life

cycle perspective. The Journal of Social Psychology, 130(5), 657-664.

Schiller, B. (1932). A quantitative analysis of marriage selection in a small group.

Journal of Social Psychology, 3, 297-319.

Shepperd, J.A. & Strathman, A.J. (1989). Attractiveness and height: The role of stature

in dating preferences, frequency of dating, and perceptions of attractiveness.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 15 (4), 617-627.

Sprecher, S. (1989). The importance to males and females of physical attractiveness,

earning potential, and expressiveness in initial attraction. Sex Roles, 21(9/10),

591-607.

VanYperen, N.W. & Buank, B.P. (1990). A longitudinal study of equity and satisfaction

in intimate relationships. European Journal of Social Psychology, 20, 287-309.

attractionsurveyresults

Documents