Attracton: Why We Like What We Like

[Iaintliein]

I have never taken a sociology class, but obviously WALDT. There have been many threads asking what people find attractive, but my question is, "Why do we find someone attractive."

I accept the notion that classical "beauty" is a matter of symmetry, proportion, and attributes associated with health and vigor. But there is still a huge variation in the types of people, on both sides of the equation who are considered "attractive."

My theory is that we are always attracted to those who remind us of our first positive sexual experience. Note the word "positive," for most men, that probably is the first experience period, maybe not for most women. To my mind, that first true sweetheart, lover, one night stand, whatever, is the ruler we measure all future encounters by.

I would love to read other theories on this.

Regards,

[Guest071613-2]

I once saw a PBS special, might have been NOVA, I think it was called 'The Science Of Love' or something similar...

Very interesting. It basically said that we are attracted to people who look similar to ourselves. They took a group of singles and set them up with other singles who had been matched by computer on facial characteristics that they had in common...and then they let the singles select their own potential dates, and they very often times selected the person that the computer program had matched them with.

Just one theory.

[Iaintliein]

Originally Posted by Dannie

I once saw a PBS special, might have been NOVA, I think it was called 'The Science Of Love' or something similar...

Very interesting. It basically said that we are attracted to people who look similar to ourselves. They took a group of singles and set them up with other singles who had been matched by computer on facial characteristics that they had in common...and then they let the singles select their own potential dates, and they very often times selected the person that the computer program had matched them with.

Just one theory.

That is interesting, explains my strange fascination with ugly, bearded women! (ok, I guess it really doesn't, since I'm really not). But it does make some sense. I once read, saw, or heard that blue eyed men tend to prefer blue eyed women. The presumption was that something instinctively indicates to the subconscious that this lessens the chances of raising someone else's child (a brown eyed baby would be a real no-no in this situation). But I think your post is closer to correct, it's hard to believe that people instinctively know about recessive vs dominate genes.

I envy those who are genuinely attracted to a very broad spectrum of women. While I can find something to like about pretty much everyone, the same does not extend to the small head.

Thanks for the observation.

[Gonzo DFW]

Seriously, I think smell--natural smell, not something store-bought--attracts; pheromones, that kind of thing. But I find myself unimpressed with what most men find beautiful. It isn't that I don't find Barbies good looking, I just don't find them attractive. But I'm absolutely galvanized by small imperfections--you know, the Lauren Hutton type of beauty. And then there's attitude. In reverse order, I'd rank those 1-2-3. Then again, what does Gonzo know? This very type of woman has been the beauty of my existence and its bane. But, what the hell, I've been happy to make a fool of myself on more than one occasion.