Functional Measurement of Attractiveness, Shared Interests, and Empathy in the Formation of Romantic Relationships

This thesis investigates the relative roles of physical attractiveness, shared interests, and empathy in the initiation and maintenance of romantic relationships. Using the functional measurement paradigm (derived from Anderson’s Information Integration Theory), the study tested how participants weigh these factors in hypothetical partner evaluations. Two experiments were conducted among psychology undergraduates: the first compared attractiveness vs. shared interests, and the second compared empathy vs. shared interests. Quantitative analysis (t-tests, ANOVA, correlation) combined with qualitative interviews revealed that participants tend to prioritize shared interests over attractiveness, and empathy over shared interests, when considering potential partners. The findings emphasize the dominant role of empathy in predicting relational satisfaction and highlight the cognitive processes underlying partner choice.