People’s rare compared with their common interests are especially potent to elicit interpersonal attraction

Sharing Rare Attitudes Attracts. Hans Alves. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,  https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218766861

Abstract: People like others who share their attitudes. Online dating platforms as well as other social media platforms regularly rely on the social bonding power of their users’ shared attitudes. However, little is known about moderating variables. In the present work, I argue that sharing rare compared with sharing common attitudes should evoke stronger interpersonal attraction among people. In five studies, I tested this prediction for the case of shared interests from different domains. I found converging evidence that people’s rare compared with their common interests are especially potent to elicit interpersonal attraction. I discuss the current framework’s theoretical implications for impression formation and impression management as well as its practical implications for improving online dating services.

Keywords: attitudes, similarity, attraction, frequency