According to this week’s material, the similar-to-me effect essentially says that people like other people who seem similar to them. One finding that has come up, “over and over again is that people with similar personalities tend to get along because they think, feel, and act very similarly. People with similar Myers-Briggs typology indicator (MBTI) scores tend to get along very well” (Lurtz, 1999).
I have had an interesting experience related to this, which took place my freshmen year of college at my previous university. This was in regards to grouping students for placement in dorm suites where groups of students lived together. Students had the option of selecting interests or types of people they believed they would be the best fit for them. This option, given by the university, is an instance of utilizing the similar-to-me effect.
My experience was with athletes who all selected to be with other athletes. Each of these students participated in one of the following: soccer, swimming, baseball, cross country, eSports so there was a common interested between all of us in terms of our interest in our respective sports. The diversity of the sports created an environment that was interesting since we each had numerous things in common but also could appreciate the differences. There were team-specific suites as well, and the entire floor was co-ed.
Students on this floor had similar challenges that also helped everyone get along and build a supportive community. Time management was something everyone had extensive experience with in one way or another. Dealing with mental and physical fatigue while still getting used to the college atmosphere and focusing on both academics and athletics with others having the same experiences and challenges helped build a strong bond between the student athletes. The success of this plan by the university is predominantly due their intentional or unintentional understanding and implementation of the similar-to-me effect.
References:
Lurtz, P.K. (1999). Partner similarity and relationship satisfaction among couples. Dissertation Abstracts International, 60, 4-A.
Tags: attraction, similar-to-me-effect