Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

2-2019

Abstract

Does close distance increase liking for a social object? In a preliminary sociogram task, an association between proximity and intimacy was found in drawings of self and others. In three experimental studies, male participants consistently preferred female targets who were (actually or appeared to be) close than far from them. Distance was manipulated through various means—sitting distance (Study 2), presenting two facial images separately to each eye by a stereoscopic device (Study 3), or a video clip (Study 4). This effect was stronger among those with deprived social needs and occurred in part because close (vs. far) targets seemed psychologically more accessible to the perceiver. Our findings offer rare experimental evidence for the empirically challenged propinquity effect and provide new insights on how distance shapes inner experience.

Keywords

Distance, Liking, Motivation, Propinquity, Target accessibility

Discipline

Psychology | Social Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

Volume

45

Issue

2

First Page

300

Last Page

309

ISSN

0146-1672

Identifier

10.1177/0146167218784903

Publisher

SAGE Publications (UK and US)

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218784903

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