Empathy and the relationship between attitudinal similarity and attraction

Subjects varying in their levels of trait empathy encountered an attitudinally similar or dissimilar other. Replicating past research, subjects expressed much greater attraction for a similar rather than dissimilar other. Extending past research, the relationship between attitudinal similarity and attraction was much stronger among those having a strong rather than weak empathic tendency. Explanations, theoretical implications, and limitations are discussed.