Previous research examining transference - which posits we draw on our past experiences with close others to inform novel interactions - has found that people attribute qualities to and express preferences to interact with novel targets based on their similarity to significant others. However, less is known about how transference differs across the lifespan and how it applies to dating contexts. The current study (N = 541, Mage = 34.73, SD = 9.78; 61.4% Men, 63% White) tested whether transference replicated with an automated, online version of a transference task. We also tested whether participants found targets that resembled significant others (i.e., parents, ex-partners) to be preferable to control targets, and whether these effects were moderated by age and attachment orientation. Indeed, the effect of transference replicated in the online task: participants misattributed characteristics to and expressed greater preference for targets that resembled significant others relative to control targets. Younger and older adults engaged in transference in the same way; however, the effect was stronger in older adults. Individual differences in attachment avoidance and anxiety moderated transference processes and preference. Implications and future directions for transference are discussed.
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