It is often said that opposites attract. We’ve all heard it once. However, according to a recently published study, it is possible that this is a misconception. And the fact is that, according to the psychologists who wrote it, physical resemblance It seems to be a key parameter that one person might find attractive to another. It is clear that when looking for a partner, beauty is inside. But, at least for first impressions, physique often matters.
It should be noted that this is not the first study of people’s preferences when looking for a partner. It’s also not the first thing we find attractive in other people. But this is the first thing to be done in very realistic environmentsince they reproduced the typical speed dating in which each pair interacts during three minutes and then move on to the next one.
Volunteers are usually provided photos of other people comment on their appearance. But this time, they were able to see them in person and talk to them, and they could also be asked about other parameters, such as the kindness they felt in each of them.
Opposites don’t attract (at least not always)
In this study, published in Evolution and human behavior, 682 people took part. they were all human heterosexual, so speed dating took place with people of the opposite sex. About half of them were with volunteers from their same ethnicityand the rest were different.
After that, they were asked which quotes they found most attractive and which perception of his friendliness and understanding abilities.
On the other hand, the researchers took pictures of all the volunteers to later compare the results with their own. facial features. So they found that, oddly enough, most participants found people with similar facial features more attractive. This was independent of other parameters that were associated with attractiveness in other studies, such as symmetry faces or the proximity of the geometric structure to the middle of its kind.
In addition, they were much more likely to find people of the same nationality attractive. In terms of perceptions of kindness and understanding, people with similar facial morphology. In fact, it is curious that in this case the ethnos was independent. In other words, an African American may feel more friendly with a white Caucasian with a face shape similar to his own than, for example, with an African American with a more elongated face.
Does this affect us when looking for a partner?
It is important to note that these people met on a three-minute date and never met again. Or, if they were, it wasn’t part of the study. Therefore, what we see is apparent attraction at first sight. Many other factors come into play to establish a relationship. It’s true that physique is important when looking for a partner, but it’s not the only thing that plays a role. In fact, sometimes a person who does not seem attractive to us at first glance may attract us much moreand even seem attractive to us when we know it better.
To solve this small detail, these scientists want repeat investigation with established pairs. This is what they consider to be one of the limitations of the study, as well as the fact that the photographs they took were completely flat and perhaps they could better appreciate the features with three-dimensional images.
Be that as it may, it is very curious. Many of us are our worst judges. We look bad in the mirror and feel that our features are not graceful enough. But then unconsciously, according to this study, we see them as attractive in other people. Then they won’t be so bad. If the last time you looked in the mirror you felt bad, try thinking about it.
Source: Hiper Textual
