Why are we attracted to certain people?

Question

What is the science behind attraction? Everyone have their own taste and beauty is subjective to different people. Like how some people find Ellen Page attractive, while I just find her average at best. Some people are just not my type. So what is the reason for this differing preference? Why are we attracted to certain people?

Answer 1

We are attracted to certain people is not because only of the physical aspect, but also from the more subtle attitude that the partner is signaling. Beauty and attraction are not the same things. Beauty is superficial while attraction is the most complex personality. Being the most attractive is by being the confident, although the physical beauty helps a lot in projecting that idea. Beauty is more associated to the symmetry of faces, slender body, height and whatever the celebrities looks like these days while attraction is more akin to our sense of curiosity. Why is this person so comfortable in his own skin? Why is his self-esteem so high? I want to know his secret. It’s self-confidence.

Answer 2

There is also an intimacy theory. The more you spend time with a person, the more attracted you are to that person. Just because you see that certain someone every day, while you are not interested in the beginning, that feelings might slowly develop more and more. It’s all about the sense of intimacy which in turn becomes an infatuation. You become attracted just because you are close to that person and you can’t live without him or her as a result. You have invested so many feelings into that person that you refuse to let it go eventually. Or that’s probably just Stockholm syndrome at work.

Answer 3

Yeah, exactly why are we attracted to certain people? Well, attraction is one part looks, another part complex combination of style, personality and interest. Studies show that we are more likely to fall for someone that is similar to us, politically, socioeconomic background, intelligence or principles and values. We are biased towards “our own people” per say. It is not limited to the underlying assets of the person, the physical sides matter too. Hot people stick together basically. The type we are attracted to is pretty much the desire to date ourselves since we enjoy that sense of familiarity. The creepy side includes a tendency to be attracted to someone who looks like yourself. A research done by David Perret of St. Andrews University in Scotland, reveals something interesting. When asked to rate the attractiveness of picture of a person, the volunteers are likely to pick the one photo of themselves morphed into the face of the opposite sex. We are narcissistic that way.