WHAT’S IN A NAME: NAMES AND LIKING

Abstract

The present research examined whether warmth and liking (aka attraction) ratings are impacted through the use of something as small as a person’s name. The current study investigates this in an online study by allowing participants to believe they were paired with a partner in order to complete an imaginary task. Before said task was “completed” participants created a self-profile including their name for their supposed partner. After completing the profile, participants in the name condition received a message of encouragement from their “partner” in which the name the participant gave was restated or not. Participants then rated their feelings of warmth and attraction toward the partner. The results found that name use was slightly linked to greater interpersonal attraction.