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Abstract

The present study extended Rokeach's principle of belief congruence and tested the hypothesis that similarity of value systems is related to interpersonal attraction. 40 white college females ranked the 18 Instrumental Values from the Rokeach Value Survey. Value surveys which were either similar or dissimilar to the subjects' were constructed for black female confederates. The confederate was either nonculturally dressed or culturally dressed. Subjects rated their degree of attraction to the confederate after minimal contact. The main effect for similarity of values was statistically significant; similarity was associated with greater attraction, providing support for Rokeach's model. In addition, noncultural dress produced significantly greater attraction than did cultural dress.

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Similarity of Values and Interpersonal Attraction of Whites toward Blacks

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