Examples Of Interpersonal Attraction

Attraction is the beginning of most 'voluntary relationships ' (Reis et al. 2013).

Attraction can be defined as 'a feeling of being drawn to another person or thing, usually with a positive feeling toward the other ', and interpersonal attraction as 'the sense of liking and wanting to be close to another person ' (Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology 2009). Coon and Mitterer, define interpersonal attraction as the social attraction that is experienced by one person to another (2011: pg). Adult relationships have been found essential in contributing for 'health, happiness, and productivity ' across several areas of human activity (Reis et al. 2013). Lodhi (2014) indicates interpersonal attraction to be a process that can lead to friendships and

According to the Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology (2009), factors contributing to interpersonal attraction include 'sexual desire, perceived competence, social status, desire to help, and the need for affinity '. Huston and Levinger (1978) indicate 'interpersonal attraction ' to result from 'attitudinal positivity ', or a 'favourable attitude ' as seen through affection, respect, liking, and love. Ellen Berscheid and Elaine Hatfield, had identified 'four central principles of attraction ' which include 'physical attractiveness ', 'similarity ', 'familiarity ' and positive reciprocity (Reis et al 2013). Coon and Mitterer (2011: 551) additionally identify 'physical proximity ' and 'competence ' to be factors influencing interpersonal attraction. Stangor describes a well balanced and reciprocal 'self-disclosure ', which is frequent communication to be an positive influence on

(Small para on psychological approaches on IA and RR; types of love)

Interpersonal attraction seems to be critical in the formation and development of effective interpersonal relationships, among which romantic relationships have significant evolutionary importance, and thereby improving quality of life. Influential factors include social, biological, psychological, evolutionary reasons among other. In this essay, the causes for interpersonal attraction will be further discussed from a evolutionary, psychodynamic and humanistic perspectives.

Evolutionary psychology is a more recent approach that conceptualises humans as creatures programmed by evolution to develop behavioural, biological, and cognitive characteristics that help in their survival and reproductive fitness (Schultz and Schultz 2011: 367). The modern evolutionary approach based on the work of Charles Darwin suggests that natural selection can also 'shape psychological and behavioural tendencies ' (Griskevicius, Haselton and Ackerman 2015). It seems that scientific research on the evolutionary perspective of romantic relationships is quite 'rare ' (Eastwick 2016) and the scientific field of evolutionary psychology is considered 'young ' (Buss 2005). From an evolutionary perspective of interpersonal attraction and relationships, some researchers commonly believed that romantic relationships are key for effective procreation, and successful interpersonal attraction is vital in the