title: Mimicking attractive opposite-sex others: the role of romantic relationship status.
abstract: Based on the recent literature indicating that nonconscious behavioral mimicry is partly goal directed, three studies examined, and supported, the hypothesis that people who are involved in a romantic relationship nonconsciously mimic an attractive opposite-sex other to a lesser extent than people not involved in a relationship. Moreover, Studies 2 and 3 revealed that romantically involved persons tended to mimic an attractive alternative less to the extent that they were more close to their current partner. Finally, Study 3 provided preliminary support for a potential underlying mechanism, revealing that the effect of relationship status on level of mimicry displayed toward an opposite-sex other is mediated by perceived attractiveness of the opposite-sex other. The present findings suggest that behavioral mimicry serves an implicit self-regulatory function in relationship maintenance. Implications for both the literature on relationship maintenance and the literature on behavioral mimicry are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Netherlands. j.karremans@bsi.ru.nl
authors.forename: Johan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Karremans
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Verwijmeren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001504:Beauty; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012928:Social Desirability; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology