When we talk about attraction, we are pertaining to another individual’s specific interest or liking. There are five main determinants of attraction; physical attractiveness, proximity, similarity, reciprocity, and familiarity. But did you know that we are all predestined to be attracted to a particular type?
According to studies, 50% of people’s preferences and attractions to certain facial features are entirely unique to them. Who we find attractive, or our “type,” is heavily influenced by our life experiences.
Why Do We Have Types?
There is a lot of mystery when it comes to understanding the laws of attraction. Usually, certain physical and sometimes positive qualities come into mind when we hear the word type. According to research, why we develop types are due to several factors. (Source: The Tab)
The Influence of Parents
Dr. Elle Voogt, a sexual wellness doctor at Kandid, our relationship with our parents or primary caregivers helps shape the kind of love we’d like to receive as adults. Research has demonstrated that we are often attracted to people who resemble and have similar personality traits as our parents. (Source: The Tab)
Biological Triggers
Biology also plays an essential role in helping us define who is attractive. Dr. Voogt explains that pheromones play a vital role in perceiving someone as attractive. Unconsciously, our bodies determine if the person is beautiful. We tend to be attracted to fertile people or those who seem to be perfectly healthy.
Furthermore, hormones also play a role in how we get attracted to specific individuals. A 2016 study found that males with high testosterone levels were attracted to women with a more feminine face. (Source: The Tab)
The Environment We Grew Up In
As we grow old, our idea of an ideal partner is heavily influenced by the environment we grew up in. Our family members, peers, and the media all play a role in helping us learn the definition of attractive. (Source: Insider)
In 2015, a study published in Current Biology discussed that the person’s environment mainly shapes individual preferences for faces. The study discovers that judgment on attractiveness is first determined by biological or genetic differences, while different domains of the person’s social decision further dictate its attraction to a face. (Source: Cell)
The Downside of Having a Type
Dr. Kalanit Ben-Ari, a psychologist and relationship expert, discusses a few possible downsides of selecting your type as a romantic partner. The doctor examines that even if a person’s physical attributes check all the boxes for your preferences, types are not all about looks. Chemistry will still play a role as you learn more about the person.
The doctor also states that despite an individual having a particular type, their definition of it changes as they grow from one relationship to the next. Ari says that we are attracted to someone who mirrors our emotional development. When we heal, grow, and develop emotionally, we tend to find more attractive people in a similar stage.
There are also times that type doesn’t play a role in developing romantic attraction at all. Voogt discusses that prolonged positive exposure to a person who is not your type can mimic the appeal you have with your type over time. Positive exposure can mean something as simple as feeling comfortable and happy when around that person. (Source: The Tab)