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First published on May 2, 2008, doi:10.1177/0146167208316693

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2008;34:939.

A more recent version of this article appeared on July 1, 2008
 © 2008 Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Article

Mimicking Attractive Opposite-Sex Others: The Role of Romantic Relationship Status

Johan C. Karremans* and Thijs Verwijmeren

Radboud University

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: j.karremans{at}psych.ru.nl.


  Abstract
Based on the recent literature indicating that nonconscious behavioral mimicry is partly goal directed, three studies examined, and supported, the hypothesis that people who are involved in a romantic relationship nonconsciously mimic an attractive opposite-sex other to a lesser extent than people not involved in a relationship. Moreover, Studies 2 and 3 revealed that romantically involved persons tended to mimic an attractive alternative less to the extent that they were more close to their current partner. Finally, Study 3 provided preliminary support for a potential underlying mechanism, revealing that the effect of relationship status on level of mimicry displayed toward an opposite-sex other is mediated by perceived attractiveness of the opposite-sex other. The present findings suggest that behavioral mimicry serves an implicit self-regulatory function in relationship maintenance. Implications for both the literature on relationship maintenance and the literature on behavioral mimicry are discussed.


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