The Boy Next Doorish

My boyfriend and I met last year in a biology class. However, we were just acquaintances last year and we would occasionally make small talk or work on bio homework together. Randomly throughout second semester freshman year him and I kept running into each other every time my roommate and I would go out to eat somewhere or go get coffee. The more we ran into each other and started talking to each other I started to realize I had a crush on him. This can be explained by the mere exposure effect, meaning the more we saw each other the more we liked each other (Zajonc, 1968).

Interestingly, when I moved into my dorm this year I discovered he was living directly across the hall and it didn't take long before we started dating. Because we lived so close we saw each other more and which led to us liking each other more, this is know as the proximity effect (Latané, Lui, Nowak, Bonevento, & Zheng, 1995). The proximity effect states that how close we work or live to others is the best predictor of who we will be friends or lovers with( Latané et al., 1995). As such, typically the closer you work to or live by someone the more likely it is that you will develop a close relationship with that person. Our physical proximity increased our exposure to each other and we eventually ended up dating.

Latané, B., Liu, J. H, Nowak, A., Bonevemto, M., & Zheng, L. (1995). Distance matters: Physical space and social impact. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 795-805.

Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Monograph Supplement, 9(2), 1-27.

Just Keep Runnnning....

I am currently in the agonizing process of getting back in shape :s I am not entirely sure what I was smoking but over spring break I agreed to run in a marathon relay with a friend of mine and her mom. I used to be a cross country runner so I didn't think it would be tooo awful to run four miles but every muscle in my legs is currently reminding me that I was wrong.

With almost a month until the race I am now running every other day with my boyfriend. However, he is in a lot better shape than me and can run a lot faster and a lot longer. So not to compromise his work out We run one mile together then I run back and he keeps going a few extra. On the first mile I am so impressed with my running no quitting, complaining, and I keep a decent pace. Buttt on my run back I am running by myself and I am positive my pace is wayyyy slower than the first mile.

The difference in pace in my two miles can be explained by the evaluation apprehension theory (Geen, 1991; Henchy & Glass, 1968). The evaluation apprehension theory explains that performance of a task will either be improved or impaired when the task is performed around people who are able to critique or evaluate the performance (Geen, 1991; Henchy & Glass, 1968) Which means when my boyfriend is running with me I run faster because he is fit, in shape, and a good runner. I run faster because I don't want him to think I am lazy and slow. My performance improves because thank god it is my dominant response still lingering some how from cross country. However, if I had never run before running with him would probably result in me running slower, complaining, and quitting pretty quick. Hopefully the evaluation apprehension theory will also have an effect during the relay.

Geen, R. G. (1991). Social motivation. Annual Review of Psychology, 42, 377-399.

Henchy, T., & Glass, D. C. (1968) Evaluation apprehension and the social facilitation of dominant and subordinate responses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 446-454.

Demonstrate a Concept.... getting what you want :)

In the video above is of an interaction between my older sister (Kaylee) and I. Kaylee and I have a pretty good relationship in that we are always there for each other and want to help each other out in what ever way possible. In the video above I was hoping she would lend me a little money for gas. In order to get her to agree to lending me some money for gas I asked first for a more outrageous amount of money, knowing that rent is due and she wouldn't have an excess of cash. First, I asked Kaylee for a hundred dollars to pay off my parking tickets. It seemed she felt bad but told me she didn't have that much money to give. Then, i asked for a smaller amount, the amount that i had been wanting to begin with, 20 dollars for gas. Because Kaylee felt bad for already saying no once, and because the second request seemed very reasonable compared to the first, Kaylee agreed to lend me 20 dollars.

The video of my sister and I demonstrates the door-in-the-face technique (Cialdini, Vincent, Lewis, Catalan, Wheeler & Darby, 1975). The door-in-the-face technique is a compliance strategy that works using two steps. First, you should ask for something you know the other person will not or cannot give you. Then, after they refuse request something that seems more reasonable (the thing you really want). By comparison the second request will seem much more doable and the person will more than likely comply with the second request, this concept is called perceptual contrast ( Cialdini et al., 1975). In addition, the door-in-the-face technique works because of reciprocal concessions (Cialdini et al., 1975). That is, it seems the person making the request is making an effort to give a little or bargain, when this happens the other person feels pressure to agree with the new better deal.

Cialdini, R. B., Vincent, J. E., Lewis, S. K., Catalan, J., Wheeler, D., & Darby, B. L. (1975). Reciprocal concessions procedure for inducing compliance: The door-in-the-face technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 206-215