Emotional Attraction Research Paper

Another aspect of emotional attraction is reciprocity, which by definition has to do with a mutuality of some sort. In respect to attraction, it is the mutual interest. Human beings tend to like those who like them and dislike those who dislike them. The perfect illustration of this effect is the middle school drama scene. Most of us have probably heard or even said a line something to the effect of, “I don’t like her/him because they talked badly of me.” Inversely, when another individual expresses an interest in you, you probably feel a sense of accomplishment or flattery that causes you to show an interest in them as well (Sternberg, 2013). As much as we would like to think we left this attitude in middle school, it follows us throughout life. Gaining the knowledge of another person’s interest in oneself can trigger a similar interest in the other from the time we are in middle school to the day we die.

The phrase, “Opposites attract,” is often applied to relationships, but is only true to an extent. As a general rule, people tend to be more attracted to those who they perceive to share interests and experiences with. “Similarity breeds contentment” (Sternberg, 2013) and gives a foundation to build relationships on. We as humans want to be validated in where we stand; another person who shares things in common with us will likely provide that assurance. The real question lies in what those similarities should be. Is it similarities in appearance, values, opinions, interests, or any number of other factors that really matter? In her book entitled The Psychology of Love 101, Karen Sternberg states, “What matters most is similarity in those areas that are important to a person” (2013). If religion is central to a per...

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