Proximity allows people the opportunity to get to know one other and discover their similarities-all of which can result in a friendship or intimate relationship. For example, when college students go away to a new school, they will make friends consisting of classmates, roommates, and teammates (i.e., people close in proximity). Specifically, proximity or physical nearness has been found to be a significant factor in the development of relationships. Often we “stumble upon” friends or romantic partners this happens partly due to how close in proximity we are to those people. For example, seeing someone regularly on your daily bus commute to work or school may be all that’s necessary to spark a genuine friendship. Proximity Great and important relationships can develop by chance and physical proximity helps. Why do some people hit it off immediately? Or decide that the friend of a friend was not likable? Using scientific methods, psychologists have investigated factors influencing attraction and have identified a number of variables, such as similarity, proximity (physical or functional), familiarity, and reciprocity, that influence with whom we develop relationships. Attraction: The Start of Friendship and Love What makes us like or love one person but not another? Why is it that when bad things happen, we frequently want to talk to our friends or family about the situation? Though these are difficult questions to answer because relationships are complicated and unique, this module will examine how relationships begin the impact of technology on relationships and why coworkers, acquaintances, friends, family, and intimate partners are so important in our lives. Given that close relationships are so vital to well-being, it is important to ask how interpersonal relationships begin. Baumeister and Leary ( 1995) maintain that humans have basic needs and one of them is the need to belong these needs are what makes us human and give a sense of purpose and identity to our lives ( Brissette, Cohen, & Seeman, 2000 Ryff, 1989). Another way of thinking about it is that close relationships are the psychological equivalent of food and water in other words, these relationships are necessary for survival. Yet time and time again, research has demonstrated that we are social creatures and we need others to survive and thrive. What is interesting about that notion is when people are asked to describe the basic necessities for life-people will most often say food, water, and shelter, but seldom do people list “close relationships” in the top three. In other words, suicide tends to be higher among those who become disconnected from society. It is those relationships that give a person meaning in their life. In fact, he argued that a person who has no close relationships is likely a person who is at risk for suicide. Durkheim argued that being socially connected is imperative to achieving personal well-being. Many researchers point to sociologist Émile Durkheim’s classic study of suicide and social ties ( 1951) as a starting point for this work.
The importance of relationships has been examined by researchers for decades.
Introduction Interpersonal relationships are vital to our physiological and psychological health. Examine the construct and components of social support.Understand what happens to our brains when we are in love.Examine the influence of the Internet on friendship and developing relationships.Review research that suggests that friendships are important for our health and well-being.
0 kommentar(er)
