← all facts
attraction
You confuse physical excitement with a romantic connection.
A 1974 study found that men were more likely to approach a woman if their heart rate was already elevated from fear.
Participants who crossed a high, shaky suspension bridge were more likely to call a female interviewer than those who crossed a low, stable bridge. The subjects misattributed their physiological adrenaline response as attraction to the researcher.
Your brain looks for a reason to explain your physical state.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Dutton and Aron, 1974, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- What the check found
- The study accurately found that physiological arousal (fear) was misattributed to attraction, leading to higher rates of follow-up calls.
- Confidence
- Well replicated
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.