By: Nashedra Barry
Summary
What are the ingredients to attraction? The following blog will address several factors that play a role in influencing attraction including facial symmetry and complexion, among others. Excitation transfer theory and other situation variables will be discussed. Overall, the research indicates that attraction is largely biological but can be manipulated by situational variables. The research does not seem to indicate that personal choice plays much of a role in attraction.
Introduction
Single individuals (and even those who aren’t) are prone to flirtation. We see it at the local happy hour, at the grocery store, and even at church! But what causes us to choose one person over another? Is attraction an individual choice or is it biological in nature? Is it based purely on physical attractiveness? Most people like to believe that some divine destiny or fate led them to their chosen mate. Social psychology research has found that there may be much more to attraction than meets the eye.
Ingredients of Attraction
The Good Genes Sexual Selection Theory asserts that humans prefer mates who possess traits that indicate genes that increase the chances of offspring viability. An example of one such trait is facial symmetry. Research indicates that individuals with more symmetrical faces are viewed as more attractive. Facial symmetry signals to potential mates that a particular individual had the ability to resist any harmful mutations, pathogens, and toxins that a fetus may be exposed to during development that would typically decrease facial symmetry (Scheib, Gangestad, & Thornhill, 1999). Facial skin texture has also been found to effect attractiveness. Researchers have found that an even distribution of both skin color and texture are perceived by men to be more attractive. The same effect has been demonstrated in women’s judgments of attractiveness, even when only viewing a small patch of skin (Fink, Grammer, & Matts, 2006).
A woman’s menstrual cycle also plays a role in attraction. Men can unconsciously detect when a woman is ovulating through women’s clothing choices, their vocal pitch, and the attractiveness of their body odor. As a result of this unconscious detection, men tend to be more attracted to women when they are ovulating. This signals to a man that the woman is fertile and has the potential to produce offspring (Haselton & Gildersleeve, 2011).
The Excitation Transfer Theory (ETT) provides additional evidence towards a biological component of attraction. Our own brains can “trick” us into thinking that we are more attracted to an individual. ETT states that residual excitement from a previous arousing stimulus or situation may serve to intensify a later emotional state (Meston & Frohlich, 2003). Essentially, if an individual has been previously aroused by an event, they may misattribute this arousal to something else. For example, Meston & Frohlich (2003) found that after a roller coaster ride, individuals who were not seated with a romantic partner gave higher ratings of attractiveness and dating desirability when presented with a black and white photo of an opposite sex individual.
Attraction can also be manipulated by situational variables. Pennebaker and colleagues (1979) found that ratings of attractiveness increased as decision time (closing time at a bar) got closer. Another study found that people are more attractive in groups, a finding that has been nicknamed “the cheerleader effect” (van Osch, Blanken, Meijs, & van Wolferen, 2015). Additionally, familiarity appears to influence attraction. The more interaction people have, the more attracted they become to each other (Reis, 2011).
Conclusion
Social psychology research points to a strong biological component of attraction. Humans are more attracted to those who show indications of fertility and traits that may benefit potential offspring. We show unconscious tendencies towards traits that indicate the potential for good genes to be passed to offspring. Attraction can be manipulated by a woman’s menstrual cycle, misattribution of arousal, perception of available options, and even the number of people someone is standing next to. In regard to the question at hand, it appears that attraction is largely biological but can be manipulated by situational variables. The research does not seem to indicate that personal choice plays as big of a role in attraction as most of us like to believe!
What are the ingredients to attraction? The following blog will address several factors that play a role in influencing attraction including facial symmetry and complexion, among others. Excitation transfer theory and other situation variables will be discussed. Overall, the research indicates that attraction is largely biological but can be manipulated by situational variables. The research does not seem to indicate that personal choice plays much of a role in attraction.
Introduction
Single individuals (and even those who aren’t) are prone to flirtation. We see it at the local happy hour, at the grocery store, and even at church! But what causes us to choose one person over another? Is attraction an individual choice or is it biological in nature? Is it based purely on physical attractiveness? Most people like to believe that some divine destiny or fate led them to their chosen mate. Social psychology research has found that there may be much more to attraction than meets the eye.
Ingredients of Attraction
The Good Genes Sexual Selection Theory asserts that humans prefer mates who possess traits that indicate genes that increase the chances of offspring viability. An example of one such trait is facial symmetry. Research indicates that individuals with more symmetrical faces are viewed as more attractive. Facial symmetry signals to potential mates that a particular individual had the ability to resist any harmful mutations, pathogens, and toxins that a fetus may be exposed to during development that would typically decrease facial symmetry (Scheib, Gangestad, & Thornhill, 1999). Facial skin texture has also been found to effect attractiveness. Researchers have found that an even distribution of both skin color and texture are perceived by men to be more attractive. The same effect has been demonstrated in women’s judgments of attractiveness, even when only viewing a small patch of skin (Fink, Grammer, & Matts, 2006).
A woman’s menstrual cycle also plays a role in attraction. Men can unconsciously detect when a woman is ovulating through women’s clothing choices, their vocal pitch, and the attractiveness of their body odor. As a result of this unconscious detection, men tend to be more attracted to women when they are ovulating. This signals to a man that the woman is fertile and has the potential to produce offspring (Haselton & Gildersleeve, 2011).
The Excitation Transfer Theory (ETT) provides additional evidence towards a biological component of attraction. Our own brains can “trick” us into thinking that we are more attracted to an individual. ETT states that residual excitement from a previous arousing stimulus or situation may serve to intensify a later emotional state (Meston & Frohlich, 2003). Essentially, if an individual has been previously aroused by an event, they may misattribute this arousal to something else. For example, Meston & Frohlich (2003) found that after a roller coaster ride, individuals who were not seated with a romantic partner gave higher ratings of attractiveness and dating desirability when presented with a black and white photo of an opposite sex individual.
Attraction can also be manipulated by situational variables. Pennebaker and colleagues (1979) found that ratings of attractiveness increased as decision time (closing time at a bar) got closer. Another study found that people are more attractive in groups, a finding that has been nicknamed “the cheerleader effect” (van Osch, Blanken, Meijs, & van Wolferen, 2015). Additionally, familiarity appears to influence attraction. The more interaction people have, the more attracted they become to each other (Reis, 2011).
Conclusion
Social psychology research points to a strong biological component of attraction. Humans are more attracted to those who show indications of fertility and traits that may benefit potential offspring. We show unconscious tendencies towards traits that indicate the potential for good genes to be passed to offspring. Attraction can be manipulated by a woman’s menstrual cycle, misattribution of arousal, perception of available options, and even the number of people someone is standing next to. In regard to the question at hand, it appears that attraction is largely biological but can be manipulated by situational variables. The research does not seem to indicate that personal choice plays as big of a role in attraction as most of us like to believe!
References
- Fink, B., Grammer, K., & Matts, P. J. (2006). Visible skin color distribution plays a role in the perception of age, attractiveness, and health in female faces. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27(6), 433-442.
- Haselton, M. G., & Gildersleeve, K. (2011). Can men detect ovulation?. Current directions in psychological science, 20(2), 87-92.
- Pennebaker, J. W., Dyer, M. A., Caulkins, R. S., Litowitz, D. L., Ackreman, P. L., Anderson, D. B., & McGraw, K. M. (1979). Don't the Girls' Get Prettier at Closing Time: A Country and Western Application to Psychology. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 5(1), 122-125.
- Reis, H. T., Maniaci, M. R., Caprariello, P. A., Eastwick, P. W., & Finkel, E. J. (2011). Familiarity does indeed promote attraction in live interaction. Journal of personality and social psychology, 101(3), 557.
- Scheib, J. E., Gangestad, S. W., & Thornhill, R. (1999). Facial attractiveness, symmetry and cues of good genes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 266(1431), 1913-1917.
- van Osch, Y., Blanken, I., Meijs, M. H., & van Wolferen, J. (2015). A group’s physical attractiveness is greater than the average attractiveness of its members: The group attractiveness effect. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 41(4), 559-574.