Integrating research on interpersonal and organizational attraction via personality traits and value congruence

Abstract

Attraction is a psychological tendency characterized by positive affect, a positive evaluative response, and an approach motivation toward a target (e.g., person, group, or organization). Both interpersonal attraction and organizational attraction fall under this broad construct and serve as antecedents to behaviors aimed at forming formal social bonds with the target (e.g., initiating a close relationship with a person or submitting a job application to an organization). Although these two literatures have developed largely independently over the past few decades, they share substantial conceptual similarities, convergent empirical findings, and a strong emphasis on the role of personality traits in attraction processes. In this paper, I review the conceptual overlap and empirical convergence between the two literatures. The review indicates that people are more attracted to others or organization that share similar personality traits—particularly honesty-humility and openness to experience, which are central value-related personality traits. This suggest that value congruence is a plausible common mechanism. I also outline future research directions to support the development of a broader and programmatic theory of attraction.