Is actual similarity necessary for attraction? A meta-analysis of actual and perceived similarity

• Published in: Journal of social and personal relationships Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 889 - 922
• Main Authors: Montoya, R. Matthew, Horton, Robert S., Kirchner, Jeffrey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.12.2008; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Attractiveness; Behavioural psychology; Correlation analysis; Developmental psychology; Group attraction; Human relations; Impact analysis; Interpersonal Relations; Marriage; Meta-analysis; Perception; Perceptions; Personal relationships; Sexuality; Systematic review; liking; relationships; attraction; complimentarity; marriage; meta-analysis; similarity effect; perceived similarity
• ISSN: 0265-4075; 1460-3608
• DOI: 10.1177/0265407508096700

To evaluate the impact of actual and perceived similarity on interpersonal attraction, we meta-analyzed 460 effect sizes from 313 laboratory and field investigations. Results indicated that the associations between interpersonal attraction and both actual similarity (r = .47) and perceived similarity (r = .39) were significant and large. The data also indicate that (i) actual similarity was important in no-interaction and short-interaction studies, (ii) there was a significant reduction in the effect size of actual similarity beyond no-interaction studies, and (iii) the effect of actual similarity in existing relationships was not significant. Alternatively, perceived similarity predicted attraction in no-interaction, short-interaction, and existing relationship studies. The implications of perceived similarity, rather than actual similarity, being predictive of attraction in existing relationships are discussed.