A study conducted by members of the University's psychology department showed women are more attracted to men when they are not sure of the men's level of interest.
The study investigated the "pleasures of uncertainty," which refers to "the idea that sometimes less is more in terms of bringing us pleasure for something, that if we fully and completely understand it, that robs it of its mystery to some extent," said Psychology Prof. Timothy Wilson, co-author of the study along with former University graduate student Erin Whitchurch and Harvard Psychology Prof. Daniel Gilbert. Before this study, the researchers had not experimented on the principle as it relates to interpersonal relationships.
The researchers gathered information from 47 female students at the University, Wilson explained. The women were told they would be shown Facebook profiles of men from other universities, and that these men would see their profiles as well. The participants were then presented with three sets of photos of four men each. Participants were told that the men in the first group were interested in them, the second group were not and the third group would not reveal their interest. The women were then told to rate the attractiveness of the men.
The study showed women were attracted to men in the first group because of the reciprocity effect, but were more interested in men of the third group.
"I think what drives this is when we're uncertain, that we can't stop thinking about [what we don't know]," Wilson said. "It stays in our mind. The more we think about it, we might think 'Hey, this is the reason we really like these guys.'"
University students have differing opinions on the results.
"Absolutely yes," said third-year College student Matthew Sipe when asked if he thought the study's findings were accurate. "One of the most attractive qualities to women in a guy is confidence. The more disinterested you are, the more confident you appear."
Second-year College student Molli Atallah disagreed. "Girls are insecure creatures, so if a guy is interested [in a girl, she is] more likely to talk even if he's not their type," she said.
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