What does the gain-loss hypothesis suggest about personal relationships?

The gain-loss hypothesis suggests that changes in someone's feelings, such as moving from liking to disliking or vice versa, have a significant impact on attraction and relationship dynamics. According to this theory, individuals tend to feel more attracted to someone whose evaluations of them change positively (from negative to positive feelings) as opposed to someone whose feelings remain constant.

When there is a fluctuation in how someone feels about another person, such as initially disliking them and then coming to like them, this change can create a stronger emotional response and heightened interest. The transformative experience of shifting feelings can intensify the perception of attraction, as it implies that the person has changed in a way that makes them more desirable or valuable as a relationship partner.

In contrast, consistent feelings often lead to predictability and may lack the excitement that comes with emotional changes. Similarly, attraction based solely on physical appearance does not capture the broader, more nuanced emotional dynamics emphasized by the gain-loss hypothesis, which is primarily concerned with how evaluations and sentiments evolve over time.