Chu discovered that when someone believes an essence drives their interests, likes, and dislikes, they assume it’s the same for others, too if they find someone with one matching interest, they reason that person will share their broader worldview. He found one crucial factor was what psychologists call self-essentialist reasoning, where people imagine they have some deep inner core or essence that shapes who they are. In a series of studies, Charles Chu, a BU Questrom School of Business assistant professor of management and organizations, tested the conditions that shape whether we feel attracted to-or turned off by-each other. Charles Chu says his research has plenty of uses in the business world, from managing staff to making deals.
