The Science of Attraction
You know it the moment you feel it—that instantaneous surge of emotion that occurs when someone catches your eye and you find yourself drawn to them. But is there scientific benefit in decoding the bells and whistles that go off in that microsecond? Researchers believe so and are studying the way our brains and bodies react to “attraction” so us normals can better understand why some people make our hearts beat faster.
Most of us like to believe that love and attraction are simply matters of the heart. In reality, there is much more at play when we become interested in someone. When deciding who we want to spend our time with, we are usually aware of their personalities, passions and values. But what is less obvious are those invisible factors which illicit instant fascination and make us muster up the courage to say hello.
Though the complex biology of attraction is still relatively mysterious, studies have pointed to the idea that it is tied heavily to our genetics and the way our senses perceive another person.
Symmetry and What It Tells Us
One of the oldest-known scientific explanations for why we find some people more attractive than others is whether or not their physical appearance is symmetrical. Symmetry has long been associated with perfection in art and nature and studies have shown that we prefer more symmetrical faces over those that are asymmetrical.
Dr. Steven Gangestad, from the University of New Mexico, has studied the factors that occur during development that contribute to symmetry. Having a symmetrical face and body is a sign that the person’s DNA has not suffered from oxidative stress during the early stages of growth, meaning that they are more likely to be healthy and strong.
When we are physically attracted to someone, our brains are really just judging whether or not they are well-proportioned, thereby deciding if their genetics are tough enough to have made it through development and are good to pass along to their future children.
Our minds make these conclusions in a split-second and we are often completely unaware that our initial reaction to seeing an attractive face is really being influenced by a search for genetically suitable partners.
What Does Smell Have to Do With It?
More than just detecting perfume or cologne, our noses are finely tuned to picking up on pheromones, a scent-bearing chemical secreted in sweat or other bodily fluids. Like fingerprints, each person has distinct pheromones associated with their bodies and these imperceptible scents tell a lot about you.