Chapter 23: Exercises

Comprehension Check

1. What does the similarity-attraction research consistently find? How does this contradict the "opposites attract" claim? 2. What did Aron et al. (1997) actually study, and how does it differ from the "36 questions to fall in love" pop version? 3. How does the importance of physical attractiveness change from initial encounters to long-term relationships? 4. What are two legitimate findings from evolutionary psychology research on mate preferences, and two ways the pop version overstates them? 5. List the six evidence-based predictors of attraction in order of evidence strength.

Application

6. Think about your closest relationships (romantic or friendship). For each, identify which of the six predictors (proximity, similarity, reciprocity, attractiveness, familiarity, responsiveness) played the largest role in the relationship forming. 7. Find a dating advice article that claims "opposites attract." Apply the toolkit: what evidence does it cite? Does the claim survive the similarity-attraction literature? 8. Try Aron's 36 questions with a friend or partner. Note: did it increase closeness? Did it produce "love"? What does the distinction tell you? 9. Find an evolutionary psychology claim about mate preferences. Apply the "just-so story" test: could the same adaptive story be told for the opposite preference? 10. Review three dating app profiles. Which of the six evidence-based predictors are being implicitly referenced? Which pop psychology claims (love languages, attachment styles, opposites attract) appear?

Critical Thinking

11. Proximity is the strongest predictor of relationship formation, but it's never featured in dating advice. Why? What does this tell you about the gap between research and pop culture? 12. The 36 questions study found closeness, not love. Should the NYT essay have been titled differently? How does the headline affect public understanding? 13. Evolutionary psychology claims about mate preferences diminish as gender equality increases. What does this suggest about the "hardwired" framing? 14. The personality-attractiveness interaction (liked people are rated as more attractive) undermines the idea that attractiveness is fixed and objective. What are the implications for dating culture's emphasis on physical appearance? 15. Speed-dating studies find physical attractiveness dominates initial mate selection. Does this mean attractiveness-based dating apps are well-designed, or that they optimize for the wrong variable?

Fact-Check Portfolio

16. If any of your 10 claims involve attraction, dating, or relationship formation, apply this chapter's findings. Update your evidence rating.