The psychology of human relationships in the IB Psychology course includes the study of interpersonal behaviour (such as romantic relationships and attraction) and group behaviour and how we are influenced by social pressures. We will look at biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors of group behaviour and interpersonal relationships in this unit.
Content: The sociocultural approach
Content: The cognitive approach
Content: The biological approach
Concepts=your toolbox for critical thinking
Psychology books, films and podcasts
Group behaviour -see sociocultural approach
Interpersonal relationships (IR)
Cognitive explanations for interpersonal relationships
Byrne’s similarity–attraction hypothesis suggests that people are more likely to be attracted to others who they see as similar to themselves. This similarity can include shared attitudes, beliefs, values, interests, and opinions.
According to Byrne, when someone agrees with our attitudes and values, it provides validation. This means it makes us feel that our own beliefs are correct and worthwhile. This validation can increase our self-esteem, which then increases feelings of attraction towards that person.
Byrne’s theory is described as a cognitive explanation because it focuses on how people think about others and interpret similarities between themselves and potential partners. The more similarities people perceive, the more positively they tend to evaluate the relationship.
This theory is strongly supported by research. Studies have consistently found that attitude similarity is an important factor in attraction, especially in the early stages of a relationship.
Research on similarity:
Markey and Markey (2007)
Aim:
The aim of the study was to investigate the role of similarity in choosing romantic partners.