MovieChat Forums > Love, Rosie (2014) Discussion > Westermarck effect

Westermarck effect

posted 10 years ago by epa101
5 replies | jump to latest

I watched this film on an Etihad flight last week. They cut out all the sex scenes, so the start of the film was hard to follow.

I was wondering about the Westermarck effect, whereby children raised together don't become sexually attracted to one another.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westermarck_effect

Wikipedia suggests that the effect is disputed. I'm no psychologist, but it sounds right to me. Isn't this why we don't fancy our siblings and cousins, however pretty they might be?

Shouldn't this have prevented attraction between Rosie and Alex? Is this addressed in the novel anywhere?

[–] Educator07 9 years ago

They were not raised together, just spent a lot of time together.

Curtis Holt...Felicity with an afro!

[–] epa101 9 years ago

That should be enough for the Westermarck effect to kick in. I recall reading that, in the kibbutz of Israel (where children were all raised communally), none of them was attracted to one another when older.

I've just googled it and found this very example on the Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westermarck_effect It also says that some dispute the effect.

[–] Educator07 9 years ago

If raised communally means raised as if they were all siblings and all adults took equal responsibility for their upbringing, the Westermarck effect makes perfect sense. I wonder if sexual attraction is discouraged overtly or covertly in these instances. I.E. Is the reason we aren't attracted to our cousins is because we are taught by society that it's wrong?

I'd think falling in love with the girl next door would make perfect sense post-puberty.

I pretend the prequels aren't canon. TFA rips off ANH.

[–] epa101 9 years ago

You might have a point on the societal disapproval. There are some societies where marrying one's cousin is not unusual at all (e.g. I know that there are parts of Pakistan where it is common).

Personally, I don't feel attracted to any girls who I knew when I was very young (e.g. any younger than 10). I just don't look at them in that way at all. I wonder if I'm unusual in this.

[–] Educator07 9 years ago

I remember having crushes on girls when I was in 5th grade, so I'd certainly wouldn't have had a problem dating them in high school. There are some towns that only have one elem, middle, and high school. I'm sure they get some students now and then, but undoubtedly some people probably end up marrying someone they've known most of their lives.

My parents grew up in a small town during segregation. I never thought to ask, but it seems logical they went to school together. He is a year older.

I pretend the prequels aren't canon. TFA rips off ANH.