Contaminated and uncontaminated feeding influence perceived intimacy in mixed-sex dyads

It was expected that viewers watching adult mixed-sex pairs dining together will give higher ratings of the perceived intimacy and involvement of the pair if feeding is displayed while eating, especially if the feeding involves contaminated (i.e., with potential germ transfer) foods. Our hypotheses were tested using a design in which participants viewed five videotapes in varying order. Each video showed different mixed-sex pairs of actors sharing meal and included a distinct form of food sharing or none. These were shown to 50 small groups of young adults in quasi-random sequences to control for order effects. Immediately after each video, viewers were asked about the attractiveness, attraction and intimacy in the dyad they had just observed. As predicted, videos featuring contaminated feeding consistently produced higher ratings on involvement and attraction than those showing uncontaminated feeding which, in turn, mostly produced higher ratings on involvement and attraction than those showing no feeding behaviors.

► Mixed-sex dyads were shown eating together in a natural setting. ► Pairs were judged to have more intimacy and involvement when feeding occurred. ► Rated intimacy and involvement increased when the shared food was ‘contaminated’ with the provider’s germs. ► Perceived attraction within pairs was higher when feeding was displayed.