Study Explains How the Psychology of Attraction Really Works

Study Explains How the Psychology of Attraction Really Works - Clapway

A new research finally explains how the psychology of attraction between men and women of “different leagues” really works.

Have you ever wondered why you find one person attractive and another person not? Well, a group of researchers has finally solved one of the most enduring mysteries of the dating world.

By analysing 167 different couples, a new study revealed stronger evidence of “assortative mating” to the extent that couples knew each other for a short time and were not friends before initiating a romantic relationship. This explains why charm often wins over beauty.

What affects the psychology of attraction?

Basically, men and women are more prone to engage in a romantic relationship with someone at their same level of “hotness” if they start dating soon after meeting. If couples are friends first, however, they are more likely to be “mismatched” when it comes to physical attractiveness. If we put it in beastly terms, the “mating market” is levelled by the time spent between potential partners.

“Because consensus is stronger earlier in the acquaintance process, assortative mating based on attractiveness should be stronger among couples who formed a relationship after a short period rather than a long period of acquaintance,” researchers explained.

The psychology of attraction and how ‘magnetism’ grows over time

The study, titled “Levelling the Playing Field,” measured attractiveness, looked at how long partners had known each other before dating and whether they were friends before engaging in a romantic relationship, to finally find that attraction can really grow over time.

For the purpose of science, researchers took videos to “code” physical attractiveness in order to assign a grade to the couples’ looks.

The idea that attraction takes time is supported by many other studies that argue that looks aren’t everything.

Beauty and the Beast scenario in the psychology of attraction

Most people assume that being physically attractive is what really matters, yet science will prove you wrong. Other factors such as proximity, confidence, personality and a certain primal magnetism make the question of attractiveness a lot more complex.

So, if you want to win the heart of someone who appears to be “out of your league in the looks department”, make friends with them first. According to the psychology of attraction, it’s definitely worth persisting.


Once you do make that work and unforeseen long distance issues become a thing, Filmin has a potential solution:

 

Comments

comments

Open all references in tabs: [1 - 4]

Leave a Reply