Similarity

One of the many factors of interpersonal attraction, arguably of similar effect in terms of predictability as a our previously covered topic of proximity, similarity has many implications, both anecdotally and scientifically. Think of both your digital group of friends, and your friends you have met personally. The likelihood is that there is more overlap in terms of similarity than there are differences. That is because, as Berscheid and Reis (1998) found, people are attracted to others they find similar in terms of demography, values and belief systems, and personality. In fact, the law of attraction, proposed by Byrne (1971) states that there is a direct linear relationship between level of attraction and proportionality of similarity. This level of similarity can be influenced by [proximity], as people who are dissimilar and proximal are likely to find dislike. Conversely, people who are similar and proximal are likely to find like.

Platonic Relationships

Similarity is influential in not only selecting romantic partners, but also selecting friends. A study supports that through adolescence, similarity with factors of: age, religion, ethnic group, leisurely activities, and socioeconomic status; predict level of friendships, with best of friends being highly similar (Kendel 1978). Further, investigating similarity in attitudes, values and belief, ethnic background, age, and even marital status, AhYun (2002) was able to support the law of attraction hypothesis.

Romantic Relationships

Similarity has much to do with romantic attraction as well. The common expression opposites attract may be more anecdotal than scientific, as it is well supported that couples tend to consist of similar people. Among romantic partners, couples tend to be alike in age, intelligence and education, religion, and physical attractiveness (Hill & Peplau 1998). Further, despite the fact that some obviously find others to be more attractive and desirable than themselves, these people tend to select romantic partners that are equally physically attractive (Burley 1983).

The advent of the internet, and even blockchain technologies that can both increase and decrease anonymity, begs the question of similarity in the context of relationships established through the Internet. Bonebrake (2004) has found that online daters may have the advantage of finding similar people with more ease, although social skill and loneliness scores are different when compared to people who date in-person. Research in the area of similarity in terms of online relationships is scant, although there is evidence that the same foundations for in-person relationships as well as social skills are necessary for these relationships to work.