Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Referring to similarity's role means examining the impact or importance of similarities between individuals on specific psychological processes, such as attraction.
Related terms
Complementarity hypothesis: Suggests that people are attracted to those who have different qualities than themselves, creating balance in relationships.
Homophily effect: The tendency for individuals to associate with others who are similar to themselves in various aspects, such as attitudes or interests.
Assortative mating: The phenomenon where individuals choose partners based on similarities, leading to the clustering of certain traits within a population.