Which component of Hatfield and Walster’s (1981) three-factor theory of love is most relevant to the principle of proximity in attraction?

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Question restatement: Which component of Hatfield and Walster’s (1981) three-factor theory of love is most relevant to the principle of proximity in attraction?

Option 1: Emotional arousal. This choice highlights the physiological or emotional arousal aspect, which Hatfield and Walster describe as one of the three factors influencing love. However, proximity does not directly refer to the arousal itself; proximity mainly affects the likelihood of encountering the partner and thus the opportunity for arousal to occur, so this option is focusing on the wrong linkage.

Option 2: An appropriate love object present. This option captures the idea that proximity increases the chance that a person comes into contact with a compatible or suitable partner—the so-called appropriate love object. In social psychology, proximity operates by increasing exposure to a potential love object, which aligns with this facet of the theory where the presence of a target object is essential for love to develop. This is the best match to the principle of proximity.

Option 3: A cultural determinant that acknowledges love as a state. While culture can shape attitudes toward love, Hatfield and Walster’s three-factor theory centers on arousal, labeling, and the presence of an object rather than a cultural determinant as a core component. Proximity is not about cultural determinants per se, so this option mislabels the connection.

Option 4: Self-labelling of arousal as “love.” This describes a cognitive labeling process, akin to misattribution of arousal, but Hatfield and Walster’s model identifies labeling as one of the mechanisms that can shape the experience of love, not the proximal condition that proximity directly supplies. The proximity principle is about having an appropriate object nearby, not how arousal is interpreted after it occurs.

In sum, proximity functions by increasing the likelihood that an appropriate love object is available, making option 2 the most accurate alignment with the proximity principle in the theory. The other options focus on arousal, cultural ideas, or labeling processes, which do not directly explain how proximity facilitates the formation of love within Hatfield and Walster’s framework.

Which component of Hatfield and Walster’s (1981) three-factor theory of love is most relevant to the principle of proximity in attraction?

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