Matchmaking Promotes Happiness

Abstract

Four studies document and explore the psychology underlying people’s proclivity to connect people to each other—to play “matchmaker.” First, Study 1 shows that chronic matchmaking is associated with higher well-being. Studies 2 and 3 show that matching others on how well they will get along increases happiness and is more intrinsically rewarding than other tasks (e.g., deciding which people would not get along). Study 4 investigates a moderator of the rewarding nature of matchmaking: the type of connection. We show that bridging ties are relatively more attractive than bonding ties: The more unlikely the match, the more rewarding it is. Taken together, these studies provide correlational and causal evidence for the role of matchmaking in promoting happiness.