Whom, particularly members of the opposite sex, do we find attractive? Many believe it depends on physical appearance. However, it turns out that our perception of male or female attractiveness is linked to numerous subconscious factors and instincts we are sometimes not even aware of!
The closer, the more beautiful!
Kevin Kniffin from the University of Wisconsin made a discovery showing that we assess people’s attractiveness differently upon first meeting versus later, when we already know something about them.
In the course of his research, Kniffin asked participants (some of whom knew each other previously, others did not) to review a series of photographs and evaluate both the physical appearance and other qualities of the individuals depicted. In the first series of experiments, participants were asked to evaluate school photographs, including some from their personal albums.
In the second series, they assessed photos of college sports team players. In the third series, participants in an archaeological expedition were asked to evaluate each other in photographs taken at the beginning and then at the very end of the expedition.
When it came to strangers, participants evaluated only their physical appearance. For people they knew, they also commented on other qualities such as kindness, sensitivity, and willingness to provide emotional support.
In the latter case, participants generally gave higher attractiveness ratings to those they perceived as pleasant individuals.
We love those who resemble us…
British artist Sue Middleton claims to have uncovered the secret of love at first sight. It’s simple—we are drawn to people who resemble ourselves!
They don’t necessarily need to have similar facial features. For example, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana have identical facial proportions. Madonna and Guy Ritchie smile in the same way. Actor Brad Pitt and his wife Jennifer Aniston share similar eyebrow lines, eyelids, upper lip contours, and jawlines. Clearly, this similarity is perceived at a subconscious level, triggering the brain’s signal: “This is Him (Her)!”
…But go crazy over the beautiful!
The same subconscious mechanism causes men to literally lose their minds when seeing a beautiful woman.
This has been confirmed by Canadian psychologists. When encountering a beauty, many men are temporarily willing to give up everything they have for her affection.
In one experiment, a group of male and female students were shown photographs of members of the opposite sex with varying degrees of attractiveness. Afterwards, they were offered a reward for participating: either a check for $15 to $35 the next day, or a check for $50 to $75 two weeks later, at their choice.
Male students who had viewed photos of attractive women mostly chose the first option. In contrast, male students who viewed photos of less attractive women, as well as the female participants, demonstrated greater rationality and opted for the second choice.
This phenomenon is known as “future discounting”: most people prefer receiving a smaller reward immediately rather than a larger one later.
“Take me, I’m all yours!”
Women also have their preferences. Ian Penton-Voak from the University of Stirling (USA) recently made a notable discovery: during periods favorable for conception, women tend to prefer masculine, rugged-looking men, while at other times they generally favor men with softer facial features.
Apparently, ruggedness in partners is subconsciously associated in women with heightened sexuality and, therefore, with the possibility of producing healthy, viable offspring.
