Walster et al

Year

1966

Aim

To investigate whether people are more likely to date someone of a similar level of physical attractiveness.

Participants

376 men and 376 women (freshmen).

Procedure

Participants were randomly paired with one another at a “Computer Dance”—they were told that if they provided some information about their interests and personalities, the computer would match them with a date. As they were purchasing tickets for the dance, four confederates secretly rated their physical attractiveness. participants filled out a set of questionnaires.

Two days after completing questionnaires, participants were randomly assigned to a date. they were told to meet their date at the dance.

Participants’ attitudes toward their dates were assessed during the intermission. Several weeks after the dance participants were also contacted to find out if they actually started to date their partner “in real life”.

results

Some observations that supported the matching hypothesis.

Since partners were randomly assigned, we can assume that

attractive and less attractive participants were assigned on

average to partners of similar attractiveness. Data showed that

attractive individuals were harsher in their standards and rated

their dates as less attractive. They also expressed less desire to

date their partner again.

However, other observations did not support the hypothesis.

Participants’ own attractiveness did not influence their

desire (and attempts) to date more attractive partners. If the

partner was attractive, participants would try to date him or

her irrespective of how attractive they were themselves.

Conclusion

The matching hypothesis was not supported in this study.

Participants sought relationships with the most attractive

dates, not the ones that were similar to them in the level of

attractiveness.