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Effects of reciprocity on attraction: The role of a partner's physical attractiveness
Author(s) -
GREITEMEYER TOBIAS
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
personal relationships
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.81
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1475-6811
pISSN - 1350-4126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6811.2010.01278.x
Subject(s) - psychology , reciprocity (cultural anthropology) , attractiveness , social psychology , physical attractiveness , attraction , mediation , reciprocal , interpersonal attraction , developmental psychology , linguistics , philosophy , political science , psychoanalysis , law
Two studies examined whether expectations of reciprocal desire had a greater impact on people's desire for a potential partner the more the partner was physically attractive. Study 1 showed that a reciprocity manipulation had a greater impact on participants' desire for attractive, relative to moderately attractive, and relatively unattractive potential partners. In Study 2, after learning of a potential partner's desire, desire for highly attractive, relative to attractive, potential partners increased to a larger extent. Mediation analyses showed that this effect was due to the participant's initial expectations of reciprocal desire. In contrast, after learning of a potential partner's lack of desire, participant's desire for highly attractive and attractive potential partners decreased to a similar extent.