Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we will learn fourteen interesting psychological
facts about attraction. Now, let’s begin.
Attraction plays a pretty important role in our lives. It influences how we connect with people,
form relationships, and operate within society. Attractive people tend to be more likable and
make better impressions. They’re perceived as more interesting, engaging, and desirable by friends
and partners alike. The real question isn’t if it’s good to be attractive in our society — it
almost always is. What’s more interesting, perhaps, is where attraction comes from and why
certain people are more attractive than others. Attraction seems, on the surface, like a clear-cut
subject. If someone is good-looking, we call them attractive, right? The truth is that numerous
hidden factors influence who we find attractive and why, and those factors aren’t always easy
to predict. For example, you might come across someone who is beautiful by society’s standards,
like an attractive celebrity. Most people find them irresistible,
but you may not feel the same way. On the other hand, you might encounter someone who isn’t
nearly as popular. They seem average to most people, but you can’t keep your eyes off them.
This tells us that attraction is more subtle, complex, and surprising than most people realize.
Our real-life preferences sometimes turn our expectations upside down, challenging
us to consider more than social norms and traditional standards of beauty. In other words,
the reason you’re attracted to someone — or why they might be attracted to you — may stem from
somewhere far below the surface. If you really want to understand the rules of attraction,
you need to look deeper into the human brain. Though you might experience attraction as a
strong physical desire, it actually begins inside your mind. In many cases, it’s the
byproduct of your emotions and perceptions interacting with memories and experiences to
create your romantic preferences. For example, you may find someone physically attractive
because they possess qualities you associate with other interesting and desirable people.
By understanding how the mind works, we can uncover patterns and predispositions
that influence who we like and who likes us. In this video, we’re going
to cover fourteen of the most interesting psychological facts about human attraction.
If you put these discoveries to the test, you might become more attractive than ever.
1. The Biological Power of Symmetry When you see an attractive person,
you may not think to yourself, “Wow, they have perfectly symmetrical features!” But symmetry is
typically the first thing your brain looks for. In other words, we are programmed to find
symmetrical faces more desirable than non-symmetrical faces. Your brain
interprets symmetry as a sign of health and genetic fitness. It often doesn’t matter what
specific features a person has; if their face is symmetrical, we’re likely to find them attractive.
2. Opposites Really Do Attract Have you ever heard the phrase, “opposites
attract?” Opposite people are attracted to one another, but not in the way you might think.
It’s not opposing personalities that we like. What we’re really like are people
with certain types of antigens known as major histocompatibility complexes or MHCs.
Our brains are unconsciously drawn to potential partners with contrasting MHCs. In other words,
you may find someone attractive on the outside, but you’re just attracted to their genes.
3. Follow the Eyes
Many people try to hide their feelings around someone they find attractive. They pretend not
to care or that they’re not interested, but their body language may be giving their feelings away.
If you want to know who someone likes, follow the direction of their gaze. Why? Because we
all like looking at the people we desire. When they’re around, we struggle to pay attention to
anything else. Even if we’re trying to hide our feelings, we sneak glances every chance we get.
The same thing may happen if someone is attracted to you. If you notice someone
consistently staring in your direction, they may find you more attractive than you realize.
4. Beauty is Misleading Beauty has a strange way of clouding our judgment.
When we’re attracted to someone, we struggle to see them as any other person. Instead,
we fall victim to a “beauty bias,” making overly optimistic assumptions
about what kind of person they might be. For example, let’s say someone thinks you’re
attractive, but they don’t really know anything about you. They don’t know where you went to
school or what you do for work. They’re not sure what your life is like, yet they assume they’re
intelligent and successful, creating an idealized version of you in their head. This is just one
example of how your physical appearance can transform someone’s perception of your character.
5. The Subtle Sound of Attraction If you pay close attention, you can uncover
feelings of attraction simply by listening to the sound of someone’s voice. When we’re attracted to
or flirting with someone, our voice naturally changes pitch. Male voices typically pitch down
to sound more dominant or masculine, though female voices are a little less predictable.
Some female voices may pitch down for a more flirtatious tone, while others get higher to
sound more feminine. In either case, if you hear someone’s voice consistently changing
pitch, they may be attracted to you. 6. Women Should Make the First Move
Most of the time, men are expected to make the first move. Surveys show that women are attracted
to men who are assertive and confident in the early stages of any relationship. But the same
thing is true for women. In fact, women who make the first move have an even higher success rate.
A recent survey found that men are highly attracted to women who aren’t afraid to
put themselves out there. Women who do make the first move are also more likely to date
a highly attractive man. In other words, making the first move, no matter what gender you are,
makes you a more attractive option. 7. The 5-Second Rule
Attraction happens more quickly than most people realize. Let’s say you’re meeting
someone for dinner. From across the room, you see them walking toward your table. By the
time they sit down, you’ve probably already decided whether you find them attractive.
It takes an estimated 5 seconds to experience “initial attraction.” In other words,
you decide right away if someone gives you butterflies or not. Initial attraction isn’t
the only kind of attraction out there, but the first 5 seconds are more important than you think.
8. Evolutionary Competition Have you ever been attracted to someone who
isn’t available? This is a very common experience, and there’s a real psychological explanation
behind it. In evolutionary terms, attraction is a competition between people for the best mates.
We want to be with partners who are most advantageous to our lives, but we’re not always
sure who the best mates are. So, we go after the people that others want. If someone is popular,
we assume they’re more desirable, so naturally, we want them for ourselves.
9. The Most Attractive Emotions A recent study showed that men and
women are drawn to specific emotions in potential partners. Men tend to be attracted to women who
appear happy and enthusiastic. Women, on the other hand, are most attracted to men who take
up space and smile with their mouths closed, demonstrating confidence and high self-esteem.
So, what does that mean for you? Find little ways to demonstrate these powerful emotions,
and you might make stronger, more memorable impressions on everyone you meet.
10. Oedipus Syndrome
You’re not going to like this one, but the person you find most attractive... probably
resembles one of your parents. Thanks to a common bias known as Oedipus Syndrome,
humans are likely to date people with similar traits to the people that raised them.
For example, let’s say your parents are older than average. Chances are,
when searching for a partner, you’ll choose someone older than you. Oedipus Syndrome doesn’t
mean anyone is subconsciously attracted to their parents; it’s just how the human brain works.
11. 1The Familiarity Effect The first time you see someone,
you may not think much of them. You may hardly notice they’re there. But if you see them more
than once, they may gradually seem more appealing. We are psychologically predisposed to like people
we see more often, a phenomenon called the Familiarity Effect. If you want to
seem more attractive to someone, spend more time with them. The more familiar you seem,
the better your chances may get. 12. Musical Infatuation
The presence of music can significantly enhance feelings of attraction. In other words,
if you’re standing in silence, you might not like someone. But play a little music,
and you might see them in a whole new light. So, next time you’re around the person you like,
turn on some music and set the mood because the right music can change how people perceive you.
13. Not All Beards Are Attractive In recent years, beards have made
a comeback. Facial hair for men is considered a widely attractive physical feature, but not all
styles of facial hair are equally attractive. The most desirable beards tend to be short and clean,
like stubble or a well-trimmed beard. These styles give you a masculine and rugged look,
which women generally find desirable. On the other hand, a wiry beard can
degrade your appearance, making you look sloppy and unkempt. If you like your facial hair,
choose a style that benefits your look. Otherwise, your beard may be bringing you down.
14. Perception Changes over Time Just because someone doesn’t find you
attractive right now doesn’t mean they never will. Most people don’t realize how much our
preferences change over time. As we get older and more experienced, we look for different things and
desire certain qualities over others. So don’t worry if you’re not someone’s type right now.
They may not notice you today, but if you keep working on yourself, this person might finally
recognize how attractive you are. Thank you for watching TopThink and
be sure to subscribe because more incredible content is on the way.