Opposites Attract? Same-Sex Repel?

H1: In the stranger context, "opposite-sex attraction and same-sex repulsion" emerge when performance is successful but dissipate when performance fails.H2: In the acquaintance context, this pattern reverses, emerging when performance fails and dissipating when performance is successful.Study 1:A three-factor ANOVA examined the interaction effects, revealing a significant three-way interaction among social distance, performance outcomes, and sex difference on social attractiveness [F(7, 404) = 25.701, p < 0.001, η² = 0.308]. Simple effects analyses showed: for strangers, opposite-sex individuals were rated as more attractive after successful performance than failure [F(1, 121) = 8.930, p = 0.003, η² = 0.069], while no significant difference in same-sex individuals [F(1, 72) = 1.594, p = 0.211, η² = 0.022].For acquaintances: Opposite-sex individuals were rated as more attractive after failed performance than success [F(1, 134) = 9.791, p = 0.002, η² = 0.068], with no significant difference for same-sex individuals [F(1, 78) = 0.004, p = 0.952, η² = 0.000]. These findings suggest that performance success enhances attraction toward opposite-sex strangers, whereas failure enhances attraction toward opposite-sex acquaintances.Study 2: A three-way mixed-design ANOVA revealed a significant interaction among social distance, performance outcomes, and task nature [F(3, 222) = 8.388, p < 0.001, η² = 0.102]. Simple effects analyses showed: For strangers, when performance was successful, compatible response latency was significantly lower than incompatible latency [F(1, 59) = 5.875, p = 0.018, η² = 0.091], indicating implicit opposite-sex attraction and same-sex repulsion. When performance failed, the pattern reversed [F(1, 59) = 4.999, p = 0.005, η² = 0.128], showing implicit opposite-sex repulsion and same-sex attraction.For acquaintances: When performance was successful, implicit same-sex attraction and opposite-sex repulsion emerged [F(1, 43) = 6.637, p = 0.014, η² = 0.134]. When performance failed, the pattern reversed [F(1, 61) = 7.203, p = 0.009, η² = 0.106], indicating implicit opposite-sex attraction and same-sex repulsion.