Have you ever wondered why you love the person you love?
Science points to a ton of psychological reasons that are responsible for making people fall
in love with one another — and some of them are downright bizarre.
For example, you may have heard that we're often attracted to people who look like our
parents — and a study from 2002 confirms it.
We're a weird species, that much is true, but it gets even stranger when you delve into
what each sex finds attractive.
“I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms like a damn Disney prince!”
Spoiler alert: women, as a rule, have vastly different tastes than men.
Need proof?
Here are some of the most surprising traits females find attractive.
Kindness is where it's at
Is the bad boy persona really what women want?
As it turns out, no.
Men's Health used two surveys to collect data from over 1,000 American women aged 21 to
54 — all in an effort to figure out just what it is women are attracted to.
“Are you saying you care about me?”
“Josh… "
While the first two traits women found attractive — faithfulness and dependability — are
not very shocking, the third most-selected trait is, perhaps, a different story.
Kindness is a turn-on according to 67 percent of the women who participated in the surveys.
It may have been cute to tease girls in middle school and high school, but it seems that
gets old pretty fast.
So fellas, if you're listening, just be kind.
The "wedding ring effect"
The Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University published some interesting findings
after performing a study about "mate poaching."
A whopping 90 percent of single women who participated in the study displayed interest
in a man when they were under the impression that he was in a relationship.
Contrast that to the mere 59 percent of single women who found the same man attractive when
informed he was single and that's a big deal.
This phenomenon is often called the "wedding ring effect."
Science doesn't seem to have the reason nailed down just yet, but Independent reported that
it could be because
“[A married man is] perceived to be more kind, faithful and a better father."
And you know how we feel about kindness.
"Dad bod" is hot
“Tonight we’ll be taking a look at the pros and cons of having a dad bod."
In a surprising twist, women aren't just into men with the potential to be good fathers
— even their "dad bod" builds are titillating.
Yes, titillating.
Meatheads be damned, women are more into a squishy middle than tree trunk limbs.
In a study commissioned by Planet Fitness, more than 2,000 Americans over the age of
18 were asked about this combination of weight and attraction.
Believe it or not, seven out of 10 women found up to 20 extra pounds attractive on members
of the opposite sex.
Just about half of the women surveyed felt that dad bods are the "new six-pack."
The dad bod is even more desirable to moms: 83 percent of women with children said they'd
feel proud be married to a man with a dad bod.
That's all well and good, but let's draw the line at dad jeans, okay ladies?
The art of storytelling
A three-part study conducted in 2016 examined how a person's storytelling ability influences
attractiveness.
The participants in the first study were told about their potential partner's storytelling
ability while the participants in the second study read either a poorly- or well-told story.
As a result,
"Women's attractiveness assessments of men as a long-term date increased for good storytellers."
The third portion of the study highlighted that the art of storytelling seems to reflect
a higher social status and the ability to influence other people, all vital survival
skills.
“The heart wants what it wants.”
“What else does it want?”
Earning potential
When polled by Men's Health, one in five women cited a man's career successes as one of the
top practical skills a partner could possess.
There's no doubt about it: a man's earning potential is something many women find attractive.
"I never cared about stuff like that...looks?
Who cares.
He’s so rich.”
Weighing a man's ability to be a good provider so heavily may seem a bit stereotypical and
even archaic, but in most households in the United States, men are still the higher-earners
and, whether it's cause or effect, Americans — both men and women — continue to place
a higher value on a man's earning potential.
A survey by Pew Research Center found nearly seven in 10 adults claim that it's very important
for a man to be able to support a family financially.
Humor still wins
One Psychology Today study found that women were three times more likely to hand off their
phone numbers to a man who told jokes compared to a man who didn't.
The funnyman was also thought to not only be more attractive, but also more sociable,
smarter, and, of course, funnier.
Another study of 200 female and 200 male university students further found that humor is often
viewed as an indicator of intelligence and creativity.
As with many of the traits women find attractive, the reason for finding humor desirable in
a member of the opposite sex involves more than just needing a good laugh.
Bad eyesight is... irresistible?
For a long time, glasses were just a part of the "nerd" uniform, but times have changed.
Being called a nerd is as good as a compliment.
You could say that glasses are still a necessary part of the uniform — and sometimes even
the most attractive part.
A study conducted in 2011 experimented with full-rim and rimless glasses and their effects
on perception.
It was discovered that rimless glasses increased perceived trustworthiness and did not cause
a decrease in attractiveness.
While certain styles of glasses can have a negative effect on a person's attractiveness,
there are also many positives, like an increase in perceived intelligence.
Must love dogs
Today is the day you start viewing dog ownership as sexy — poop bags and all.
A study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology found that dog ownership increases
male attractiveness.
Dog ownership can prove a man's ability to be a good provider since he's obviously able
to care for the canine's needs.
Dog ownership may even demonstrate a man's empathy and the ability to enter into an emotional
commitment.
Who knew man's best friend would also be such a great wingman?