Interactive Self-Regulation During Mate Searching Reciprocal Romantic Interest Increases Attention Allocation to Opposite-Sex Others

The present research analyzed automatic self-regulation during mate searching. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis, that in a dating context, individuals who are currently looking for a mate show increased automatic attention allocation (focusing effect) to faces of opposite sex others who display signs of reciprocal romantic interest. We tested this hypothesis in a longitudinal dating study by analyzing intra-individual change in attention allocation to romantic reciprocators and non reciprocators Attention allocation was assessed using a visual cueing paradigm prior to and after the announcement of mutual interest in a date between two participants of the study. In line with our hypothesis, focusing effects were obtained selectively for romantic reciprocators. This focusing effect was restricted to participants with a secure attachment style, indicating interindividual differences in adaptive automatic self-regulation processes during mate searching.