47 Beautiful Facts About Human Attraction

As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person finds attractive, another finds the opposite. While some attractive features are nearly universal such as facial symmetry and healthy appearances, others vary by culture such as skin tone and body shape. However, the one truly unifying component of human attraction is the underlying biology that directly dictates why we find certain traits attractive and others a turn off.

Human attraction is influenced by the subconscious biological desire to reproduce. And since reproduction is such a difficult and lengthy process, we often look for the highest quality mate. Nearly every feature that we find attractive is a subtle indicator of the quality of a potential mate, especially their health and fertility. Below are 47 facts about human attraction.

47. Symmetry

Scientific studies have shown that one of the most attractive features to humans is symmetry, especially in facial features. Most celebrities that are widely considered extremely attractive have nearly perfectly symmetrical faces. (1)

46. Oxytocin

During intimate times such as kissing or making love, the body releases a chemical called Oxytocin, which is also known as the love drug. The chemical helps people to feel closeness with each other and aids in bonding. (4)

45. Darwin is so beautiful right now!

Charles Darwin stated that there is universal drive to become as beautiful and attractive as possible. He said that animals will strive to be attractive even when experiencing “wonderfully great suffering”. (4)

44. Beauty bias

Studies show that many high-paying and high-level positions are held by attractive people. Hiring managers often have a preference for the more attractive employee when giving promotions to their employees. (4)

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43. But politics are so ugly though!

Research shows that the more attractive politician often receives a greater amount of media coverage than their less attractive counterpart does. (1)

Enrique Peña Nieto (Mexico)

42. The media and self esteem

Research shows that the media greatly influences a person’s self-esteem when it comes to their own bodies and appearances. When shown people with ideal body types of the same gender, people often report lower satisfaction with their own self-image. (1)

41. Nice genes, where did you get them?

Physical attraction is linked to good genes. The more attractive a person is, the better their genes are perceived to be. The reasoning is deeply rooted in our biology. Males often prefer the most attractive female as it signals good health and fertility. However, since the task of reproduction falls almost entirely on the female, women generally are pickier when it comes to choosing a mate. Females often prefer a mate with the most attractive features as it signals that he will provide the best genes to their offspring. Interestingly, scientist have not found a direct correlation between physical attractiveness and the quality of genes. (18)

40. Wait, what is that called?

The theory as to why a woman desires an attractive mate is rooted in the belief that an attractive mate will yield and attractive son that will then be able to better find a mate to pass on the mother’s genes to his children. This theory is called the Sexy Son Theory. Yeah, you read that right. (15)

39. Oedipus Syndrome

Studies show that people are more likely to be attracted to people resembling their parents, especially when it comes to age. The older their parents were at the time of their birth, the more likely they find older faces to be attractive. (15)

38. Overlooked, not unseen

Limbal rings, or the dark outlines around a person’s iris, are a feature that often goes unnoticed but are subconsciously perceived to be attractive. Limbal rings fade with age, therefore the darker the rings the more youthful the person. Since youth is associated with health and vigor, limbal rings are a sign that a person is a better mate. (15)

37. Risky

The more attractive someone finds a sexual partner, the more likely they will be to be okay with forgoing contraceptives or taking precautionary steps to have safe sex. Yikes! (4)