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emotions
You might be misreading your fear as attraction.
The misattribution of arousal occurs when your brain misidentifies the source of physiological excitement.
In a 1974 study, men who crossed a high, anxiety-inducing suspension bridge were more likely to call a female interviewer afterward than those who crossed a low, stable one. Your body registers high pulse and palms as 'feeling,' then labels it based on the person nearby.
Your emotions are often just physiological signals in search of a label.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Dutton and Aron, 1974, The Bridge Study
- What the check found
- The core claim is well-established in social psychology. While the specific study (Dutton & Aron) is not named in the provided text, the concept of misattribution of arousal in romantic contexts is confirmed.
- 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.