Opposites Don’t Attract, We Like What’s Physically Close to Us, and the History of Last Names

Learn about why opposites don’t really attract; the “propinquity effect” and how physical distance affects the way we feel about other people; and the history of when and why we started using last names.

Opposites Don’t Attract by Kelsey Donk

• Johnson, M. D. (2018, February 12). No, opposites do not attract. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/no-opposites-do-not-attract-88839
• Montoya, R. M., & Horton, R. S. (2012). A meta-analytic investigation of the processes underlying the similarity-attraction effect. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(1), 64–94. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407512452989

We Like What’s Physically Close to Us by Mae Rice

• New evidence for the “propinquity effect” – mere physical closeness increases our liking of desirable people and things. (2018, August). Research Digest; Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/08/01/new-evidence-for-the-propinquity-effect-mere-physical-closeness-increases-our-liking-of-desirable-people-and-things/
• Shin, J., Suh, E. M., Li, N. P., Eo, K., Chong, S. C., & Tsai, M.-H. (2018). Darling, Get Closer to Me: Spatial Proximity Amplifies Interpersonal Liking. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(2), 300–309. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218784903

The History of Last Names by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Gregory)

• Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps. (2012). Forebears.Io. https://forebears.io/surnames
• Surnames & The Norman Conquest | Heritage Family History. (2016, September 3). Heritagefamilyhistory.co.uk. https://www.heritagefamilyhistory.co.uk/blog/2016/09/surnames-the-norman-conquest/
• SCMP. (2016, November 17). South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2046955/complex-origins-chinese-names-demystified
• The Memi De-Shalit Database of Jewish Family Names at Beit Hatfutsot. (2020). Beit Hatfutsot. https://www.bh.org.il/databases/family-names/jewish-family-names-introduction/
• Muraskin, B. (2014, January 8). Jewish Surnames Explained. Slate Magazine; Slate. https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/01/ashkenazi-names-the-etymology-of-the-most-common-jewish-surnames.html

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Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/opposites-dont-attract-we-like-whats-physically-close-to-us-and-the-history-of-last-names

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