The science of attraction - Dawn Maslar

We like to think of romantic feelings

as spontaneous and indescribable things that come from the heart.

But it's actually your brain

running a complex series of calculations within a matter of seconds

that's responsible for determining attraction.

Doesn't sound quite as poetic, does it?

But just because the calculations are happening in your brain

doesn't mean those warm, fuzzy feelings are all in your head.

In fact, all five of your senses play a role,

each able to vote for, or veto, a budding attraction.

The eyes are the first components in attraction.

Many visual beauty standards vary between cultures and eras,

and signs of youth, fertility and good health,

such as long lustrous hair,

or smooth, scar-free skin,

are almost always in demand

because they're associated with reproductive fitness.

And when the eyes spot something they like,

our instinct is to move closer

so the other senses can investigate.

The nose's contribution to romance

is more than noticing perfume or cologne.

It's able to pick up on natural chemical signals

known as pheromones.

These not only convey

important physical or genetic information about their source

but are able to activate a physiological or behavioral response in the recipient.

In one study, a group of women

at different points in their ovulation cycles

wore the same T-shirts for three nights.

After male volunteers were randomly assigned

to smell either one of the worn shirts, or a new unworn one,

saliva samples showed an increase in testosterone

in those who had smelled a shirt worn by an ovulating woman.

Such a testosterone boost

may give a man the nudge to pursue a woman

he might not have otherwise noticed.

A woman's nose is particularly attuned

to MHC molecules, which are used to fight disease.

In this case, opposites attract.

When a study asked women to smell T-shirts that had been worn by different men,

they preferred the odors of those whose MHC molecules differed from theirs.

This makes sense.

Genes that result in a greater variety of immunities

may give offspring a major survival advantage.

Our ears also determine attraction.

Men prefer females with high-pitched, breathy voices,

and wide formant spacing, correlated with smaller body size.

While women prefer low-pitched voices with a narrow formant spacing

that suggest a larger body size.

And not surprisingly,

touch turns out to be crucial for romance.

In this experiment, not realizing the study had begun,

participants were asked to briefly hold the coffee,

either hot or iced.

Later, the participants read a story about a hypothetical person,

and were asked to rate their personality.

Those who had held the hot cup of coffee

perceived the person in the story as happier,

more social, more generous and better-natured

than those who had held the cup of iced coffee,

who rated the person as cold, stoic, and unaffectionate.

If a potential mate has managed to pass all these tests,

there's still one more:

the infamous first kiss,

a rich and complex exchange of tactile and chemical cues,

such as the smell of one's breath,

and the taste of their mouth.

This magical moment is so critical that a majority of men and women

have reported losing their attraction to someone

after a bad first kiss.

Once attraction is confirmed, your bloodstream is flooded

with norepinephrine,

activating your fight or flight system.

Your heart beats faster,

your pupils dilate,

and your body releases glucose for additional energy,

not because you're in danger but because your body is telling you

that something important is happening.

To help you focus,

norepinephrine creates a sort of tunnel vision,

blocking out surrounding distractions,

possibly even warping your sense of time,

and enhancing your memory.

This might explain why people never forget their first kiss.

The idea of so much of our attraction

being influenced by chemicals and evolutionary biology

may seem cold and scientific rather than romantic,

but the next time you see someone you like,

try to appreciate how your entire body is playing matchmaker

to decide if that beautiful stranger is right for you.