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ドキドキは同じ？吊り橋効果の最新事情

「ドキドキは同じ」という心理現象、吊り橋効果をご存知ですか？ これは、不安や恐怖を感じているときに、恋愛感情を抱きやすくなるというものです。

吊り橋効果とは？

1974年のダットンとアロンの実験が有名です。揺れる吊り橋の上でインタビューを受けた男性は、そうでない男性よりも、インタビュアーの女性に連絡する確率が高かったのです。これは、吊り橋によるドキドキを、女性への魅力によるドキドキと勘違いしたためだとされています。

吊り橋効果を利用するには？

デートなら、遊園地のお化け屋敷や、サスペンス映画などが効果的。ドキドキするようなシチュエーションを作ることで、恋愛感情を高められるかもしれません。

最新の研究では…

しかし、最新の研究では、吊り橋効果は否定されています。ドキドキする状況であっても、それが恋愛感情に直結するわけではないようです。

行動心理やまひろ

Is Every Heart-Pounding Moment the Same? The Latest on the "Suspension Bridge Effect"

Have you heard of the psychological phenomenon known as the "suspension bridge effect"? It suggests that we are more likely to develop romantic feelings when we are experiencing anxiety or fear.

What is the Suspension Bridge Effect?

The famous 1974 experiment by Dutton and Aron is often cited. Men interviewed on a swaying suspension bridge were more likely to contact the female interviewer afterward compared to men interviewed in a less anxiety-inducing setting. This was interpreted as the men misattributing the physiological arousal from the bridge to attraction towards the woman.

Utilizing the Suspension Bridge Effect

If you're planning a date, consider a haunted house at an amusement park or a suspenseful movie. Creating a thrilling situation might help to elevate romantic feelings.

What Does Recent Research Say...?

However, recent research has cast doubt on the suspension bridge effect. It seems that experiencing a heart-pounding situation doesn't necessarily translate directly into romantic feelings.

The reasons why recent research refutes the suspension bridge effect are primarily as follows:

• Issues with reproducibility: Since the original Dutton and Aron study, not many experiments have been able to replicate the same results. The outcomes varied significantly depending on the experimental conditions and the attributes of the participants, making it difficult to confirm a consistent effect.


• Misattribution of arousal: The suspension bridge effect assumes that people misattribute the cause of their physiological arousal to the person they are with. However, humans have a good ability to perceive their surroundings and can often accurately identify the source of their excitement.


• The complexity of romantic feelings: Romantic feelings are not as simple as to be explained solely by physiological arousal. They involve various factors such as respect, empathy, and shared values.

Because of these reasons, it is now believed that while the suspension bridge effect may temporarily enhance romantic feelings under certain circumstances, it's not a universal phenomenon.