Feeling that the other person likes you increases romantic feelings toward them

A McGill University study analyzed data from 214 speed daters to examine how metaperception affects romantic feelings.

People who felt more liked by a date tended to report stronger romantic interest in that person.

Those who judged their partner’s impression more accurately were also more likely to be seen as romantically interested.

The findings suggest that feeling liked can help spark early attraction, while accuracy in reading others may reflect mutual interest.