Dating Availability and Religious Involvement as Influences on Interpersonal Attraction

Summary

Sixty American undergraduate males and 120 females viewed a life-size slide (upper body portion) of an opposite-sex target person and read a short description which varied information about the person's dating history (either a highly available, moderately available, or unavailable dater) and religious involvement (involved or not involved). They then rated the target on dimensions of intelligence, physical attractiveness, adjustment, selfishness, arrogance, and trustworthiness and attractiveness as a possible dating partner or friend. Negative evaluations were made to the highly available, unavailable, and nonreligious dater, while positive evaluations were made to the moderately available dater and the religious rater.