Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

11-2015

Abstract

Terms of endearment such as sweetie, honey, and sugar are commonly used in the context of describing romantic partners. This article explores how a relatively subtle manipulation, namely taste sensations, might influence romantic perceptions of a nonestablished relationship. Consistent with predictions, results from Studies 1 and 2 (n = 280) showed that participants evaluated a hypothetical relationship, but not an existing relationship, more favorably when exposed to sweet taste compared to non-sweet taste control. Study 3 (n = 142) further showed that participants indicated greater interest in initiating a relationship with a potential partner when exposed to sweet taste, as compared to control participants. Implications for the role of sweet taste experiences in attraction and relationship initiation are discussed.

Keywords

Attraction, metaphors, romantic interest, romantic relationships, sweet taste

Discipline

Cognition and Perception | Cognitive Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Volume

32

Issue

7

First Page

905

Last Page

921

ISSN

0265-4075

Identifier

10.1177/0265407514554512

Publisher

SAGE Publications (UK and US)

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