Murstein and Hadjolian (1977) believe that fingertip auras (Kirlian Effect) might be associated with interpersonal attraction; four hypotheses were advanced to test this assertion. It was hypothesized that individuals would respond with bigger auras to (1) opposite-sex photographers as compared to same-sex photographers, (2) to seductive opposite-sex photographers as opposed to normally behaving opposite-sex photographers, (3) to opposite-sex unknown peers as opposed to same-sex unknown peers, and (4) to liked as opposed to disliked same-sex persons. All hypotheses except (2) were supported. The subjects consisted of white under graduate student volunteers at a small catholic liberal arts college (110 and 30 women) and at a small nonsectarian liberal arts college (10 men, 60 women) in the Northeastern Seaboard. The measurement device used in the study was high-frequency electrical field photography. It differs from ordinary photography in that electricity rather than light serves as the photographic medium.
The results of the experiment have strongly supported the notion that fingertip auras are strongly associated with attraction. That men responded more strongly than women to opposite-sex photographers may be related to sex-role learning. The reasons are, men often view other men as potential rivals and competitors, but are much more open with women in interpersonal situations. This notion receives support in the work of Rubin (1974) who reported that male subjects are more likely to refuse to participate in a personal disclosure situation with male experimenters than with female experimenters. The only hypotheses not supported also turned out to be as significant as the other hypotheses. The fact that the female subjects showed only a slight, nonsignificant decline from the “seductive” to the “normal” probably reflects two factors. First, it is more in keeping with the socially accepted sex-role behaviours for men to pursue women rather than vice-versa. Second, the female subjects, unlike the male subjects in the “seductive” condition, came from a relatively sophisticated campus in which heterosexual interaction on the basis of short acquaintance was probably much more acceptable than was the case with the catholic school
In addition, photographers graded for attractiveness, of the same age as the subjects and less forward in their “seductive” behaviour might be used in a future replication. Future research also might concern itself with the relation of auras and physical attractiveness. It would likewise be of value to study different kinds of relationships.
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