Abstract
<p>This study investigated if the appeal of an attribute varies depending on the target that the attribute is attached to. We asked single participants to (a) nominate two prospective romantic partners that they know in their real lives, and (b) describe a desirable attribute that was true of one prospective partner but not the other. We then asked participants to rate their romantic interest in each of the partners across four conditions: the partner possessed both attributes, their own attribute, the other partner’s attribute, and neither attribute. Participants indicated higher levels of romantic interest when the attributes were present (vs. absent), but this effect was stronger when the attribute matched the partner it was originally attached to. In other words, when the attributes were substituted across partners, their effect on romantic interest was weaker. We also asked participants to rate their attraction to two dating profiles using a similar research design, and an analogous (but much weaker) pattern emerged. These findings are consistent with the possibility that perceivers believe that attributes are more appealing when attached to some partners rather than others—especially when evaluating real partners that they actually know.</p>