Interpersonal attraction and nursing needs.

Interpersonal attraction is an important factor in the development and maintenance of all relationships. As a clinician, the author observed that individual nurses appeared to have, in their care, patients that they liked and sought out and patients that they appeared to avoid. These observations led the author to speculate on the role of interpersonal attraction in the nurse-patient relationship. Hall (1977) has also identified interpersonal attraction as a relevant area for nursing research. In an earlier descriptive study Hall (1976) observed that patients who were disliked appeared to be neglected by staff in both number of staff contacts and in frequency of mention in reports. Doherty (1971), reviewing studies on interpersonal attraction in psychiatry, suggested that if a patient is liked by the staff he will receive more therapeutic attention. The major variables associated with interpersonal attraction are similarity, social desirability, reciprocity of liking, and proximity (Hall, 1977). This study examines similarity of perceived and actual nursing needs, and the relationship of this variable to the degree of interpersonal attraction in the nurse-patient relationship. Both perceived and actual similarity have been used to explain interpersonal attraction (Newcomb, 1961). According to Wills (1978), Similarity of attitude, interest, and value is a basic determinant of interpersonal attraction.