Objective: Focusing on body functionality -- what the body can do -- may benefit women's body image. This pilot study examined the effects of focusing on body functionality appreciation during an audio-guided mirror gazing task (F-MGT). Participants: 101 college women, M(SD)[subscript AGE] = 19.49(1.31), were alternately assigned to F-MGT or a…

Evolutionary psychologists explore the adaptive function of traits and behaviors that characterize modern Homo sapiens. However, evolutionary psychologists have yet to incorporate the phylogenetic relationship between modern Homo sapiens and humans' hominid and pongid relatives (both living and extinct) into their theorizing. By considering the…

To determine whether behavioral differences exist between attractive and unattractive children, 64 boys and girls aged three and five years were selected on the basis of physical attractiveness and were paired in same age, same sex, and attractive and unattractive dyads. These dyads were then observed in a seminaturalistic play setting. (JMB)

Children were given an opportunity to share a valuable commodity with an attractive or unattractive peer. Moments later, the peer appeared to fall from a chair. Results indicated older children shared more of their resources; sharing and responses to the emergency were positively correlated with empathic test scores. (Author/RC)

Premarital dating couples (N=61) were asked to answer questions concerning their perceived commitment to their relationship, the amount of time they spend with their partner, the amount of time they spend arguing, their partner's attractiveness, the length of their relationship, and their desire to continue the relationship. Time spent together…

Describes five studies that developed and validated a self-report instrument for assessing affinity-seeking skills. Indicates that the Affinity-Seeking Instrument, which is comprised of two scales, (1) has internal consistency, a stable factor structure, and concurrent discriminant validity; and (2) measures social tendencies that are observable…

Explored elicited effects of changes in approval and disapproval behaviors on behaviors and perceived satisfaction of dating partners. Couples reported their perceptions of their behaviors. Disapproval elicited strong reciprocal behavior and dissatisfaction. Approval-eliciting effects occurred but were weaker. Male elicitors felt less satisfied…

To compare differences between types of friendships on an assortment of communication and situational variables, a study was conducted that involved pairs of four types of intimate friends: male-male, female-female, male-female with romantic interest, and male-female without romantic interest. Subjects, 61 pairs of college students, completed…

Replicates the findings of earlier examinations of relationship disengagement. Extends the range of variables pertinent to strategy selection by evaluating the role of network overlap, partner desirability, trust, and dyadic adjustment. Finds that both relational variables and tactics were associated with consequences of disengagement. (JD)

A study of college students' dating behavior indicated that men expect more sexual intimacy sooner in a fewer number of dates than women. Most students are concerned about finding dating partners in a large university and feel positive about limited parental involvement. (Author/JAC)

This study assessed college men's (n=85) and women's (n=215) courtship persistence behaviors (approach, surveillance, intimidation, mild aggression), which have been linked to stalking, and examined their relations to initial courtship interest, relationship development, and future violence and persistence, while also exploring the role of gender…

Self-serving biases in attribution have been widely explored; however, the effects of motivational factors on observers' causal attributions have been neglected in attribution research. To investigate these effects, observers' liking and perceived similarity toward a target person were manipulated. Subjects were 80 college students. The observer…

Recent attempts to clear up the controversy over when and why receipt of an intimate self-disclosure leads to attraction in a first encounter have called attention to the possible role of the perceiver's own disclosure. To investigate the influence of the perceiver's own disclosure on attraction to a disclosing stimulus person, female subjects…

A study was designed to describe the nonverbal behaviors of two male/female couples as they initiated, maintained, and terminated their relationships. Over a five-month period, couple one met seven times and couple two met six times in a laboratory setting. During the meetings, observers coded the couples' nonverbal behaviors as eye gaze, smiles,…

Reports on research to determine relationships between self-disclosure and self-disclosure avoidance. Generally, males avoid self-disclosure in order to maintain control over their relationships; females avoid self-disclosure in order to avoid personal hurt and problems with their interpersonal relationships. (JMF)