Effect of economic similarity-dissimilarity on interpersonal attraction

The theory of social comparison processes suggests that individuals are attracted to each other on the basis of similarity in opinions, abilities, and emotional state. Generalizing further, attraction was hypothesized to be a function of similarity-dissimilarity in economic status. 84 Ss were divided into high and low economic status on the basis of their responses to items dealing with spending money. 3 experimental conditions were devised in which Ss evaluated a stranger on the basis of his or her responses to the economic and some attitudinal items. In 1 condition, low-status Ss responded to a high-status stranger; in a 2nd condition, high-status Ss responded to a low-status stranger; and in a 3rd condition, high- and low-status Ss responded to strangers similar to themselves. As hypothesized, attraction was significantly (p < .001) affected by similarity-dissimilarity of economic status. It was found that the specific responses of Ss could be predicted on the basis of a law of attraction formula derived in earlier work on attitude similarity-dissimilarity. An attempt was made to account for the findings in reinforcement terms. (33 ref.)