title: On the importance of cognitive evaluation as a determinant of interpersonal attraction.
abstract: Three studies examined a model of attraction in which the cognitive evaluation of the target individual was the primary determinant of interpersonal attraction. In Study 1, the cognitive evaluation of the target individual mediated the influence of attitude similarity on interpersonal attraction. In Study 2, a path analysis revealed significant indirect effects of (a) similarity on cognitive evaluation via the valence of information implied by attitudes and (b) the valence of information implied by attitudes on attraction via cognitive evaluation of the target. Study 3 provided empirical and theoretical support for the uniqueness of interpersonal attraction from cognitive evaluation. The implications of these data for existing attraction theory are discussed, and a new model of interpersonal attraction is described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27514, USA. mmontoya@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: R Matthew
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Horton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires