The impact of interaction expectancies on the relationship between attitude dissimilarity and interpersonal attraction

This study examined factors that were predicted to be related to the effect that attitude dissimilarity has on interpersonal attraction in the first few minutes of an initial interaction. In this study, 114 participants engaged in dyadic interactions with same‐sex partners that varied in attitude similarity. Prior to and after interacting with one another, participants rated their partner's personal character and whether they believed that a future interaction would be a positive one. These data revealed that the perceived quality of future interactions significantly improved over time and character attributions partially improved. The global predictions made in this study were framed and supported as an expectancy violation explanation.