He loves me loves me not

Introduction/background of the study

Reciprocal principal ( A person likes another person more if the other person likes them)

Hypothesis

Uncertainty increases interpersonal attraction

Method

Experimental design

Independent measures (IV)

Liked-best condition

Average-liking condition

Uncertain condition

Dependent measures (DV)

Mood

Attraction

Reported thoughts

Sample

47 participants

All were female college students

From the University of Virginia

All received partial credit for partaking in study

Sample method/technique

Between group design

what were the participants told the study was about?

participants were told the study was exploring the effectiveness of Facebook as an online dating website

Based on what did the male college students rate the females’ profiles?

The degree to which they would get along with each women if they knew them better

describe the liked- best condition

Participants viewed profiles of 4 men who had given them the highest ratings

Describe the Average- liking condition

Participants views the profiles of 4 men who had given them average ratings

Describe the uncertain condition

They didn’t know if the 4 men gave them average or high ratings

Did they use filler task?

What was the scale used to rate mood?

21 point scale

1=not at all

21=extremely

How did participants rate mood?

The degree to which the adjectives positive, pleased, disappointed and sad described how they felt at the moment

How was attraction to male students rated?

How much they liked the men

How much they wanted to work with them in a group project

How similar they were to him

How was reported thoughts rated?

The extent to which thoughts about the men “popped up in their head” during the previous 15 minutes

What were the scales used for attraction and reported thoughts?

Attraction- 8 point scale

Reported thoughts- 9 point scale

Result of the study (attraction)

Participants in the uncertain condition were more attracted to the males then the participants in the liked best condition

Participants in the liked-best condition were more attracted to the males then the participants in the average-liking condition

Results of the study (reported thoughts)

Participants in the uncertain condition reported having the most thoughts about the men, followed by the average liking condition and then the liked-best condition

Results of the study (mood)

Participants were in the best mood in the uncertain condition