Most of us have wondered about this at some point in our lives. What is the mechanism behind Sexual attraction? What are the characteristics and traits that people look for in a potential sexual partner? Is it all about looks, is it really that superficial? If these questions often arise in your mind, and you want to have a proper scientific answer explaining all the mechanisms and reasoning behind sexual attraction, then you have come to the right place.

This article will look deep into the sphere of sexual attraction and try to unlock all the mysteries behind it and answer your questions regarding it. First, it is time to look inside the science behind Sexual Attraction.

Science behind Sexual Attraction

Sexual Attraction can work in mysterious ways just like love does. We often wonder why out of a lot of people; some particular person catches our eyes. Well, the answer to that lies in the numerous invisible forces that are at play. These invisible forces are what determine which members of the opposite sex we get attracted to what the ones we don’t get attracted to. Now while physical appearance does play a pretty significant role in the process of sexual attraction, it is not the only thing that matters. Members of both the sexes look for other aspects such as personality traits, interests, and values in a potential sexual partner.

Scientific research is still ongoing to shed more light on the mechanisms behind sexual attraction and provide more information about the factors behind why people choose a certain sexual mate. The whole process is a very complicated one and providing a universal answer to all the questions is next to impossible. But we do know some of the forces at play behind the attraction. Some of these are explained below.

1. People fall in love with their partner’s smell

Smell is not really the accurate term to describe sensing someone’s pheromones. Pheromones are a type of chemical that bears a particular scent and are secreted in a person’s sweat and other body fluids. Pheromones are confirmed to play a prominent role in the process of sexual attraction in animals and humans as well. One particular type of pheromone known as the “releaser” which constitutes of compounds called androstenol, androstadienone, and androsterone are involved with the process of sexual attraction.

In one study conducted, the female participants were asked to smell the sweaty shirts of men and in this research, it was found that women could sniff out the symmetry of the men and how attractive they were.

Pheromones can be created synthetically and can be used as a parfume for both men and women, the top brand are Truepheromones.com it is a really cheap and effective way to get attention from the opposite sex.

2. Women assess the markers of masculinity 

What this means is that women are attracted to masculine traits. Women prefer more masculine looking men which include broad shoulders and a strong jaw line. The reason behind this is thought to be that these features are associated with better health and fertility.

But in today’s world, this might not always hold true. Although women have evolved in a way that they seek out virility, that does not always mean that every woman today seek out only “Manly” men. Not every woman out there prefers a very masculine man. In fact, a study found out that women from poorer environments were more attracted to the more masculine men while women belonging to rich environments preferred more feminine looking men.

3. Personality is crucial as well

Sexual attraction is not all that superficial. Nature does play a significant factor in this process and can determine how “hot” he or she is.

One such personality trait is kindness, which can make a person much more attractive and much more likable. There was a particular study conducted in 2014 that concluded that having positive personality traits can actually increase the perceived facial attractiveness of the person. So basically, a good character sort of fools’ the opposite sex into thinking you are physically much more attractive than you really are.

4. Attraction is a highly unique and individual matter

While science may explain some of the mechanisms behind sexual attraction and give us a lead into what people find attractive and what they don’t, in the end, sexual attraction is a unique and works in a different way in different people.

One particular Anthropologist named Helen Fisher who has been studying love and romance for years, explains that every individual has a “love map” which determine who we are more attracted to.

Now that we know the science behind sexual attraction and we also know that science cannot always explain this phenomenon, we will now take a look into some of the general rules of attraction which go much beyond physical appearance. While this holds true for both sexes, these apply more to the men out there.

Rules of Attraction

1. Don’t be boring: The human brain is pretty similar to hungry babies who get bored easily and demand a regular dose of entertainment. Just being hot Is not enough, an entertaining personality is also just as important if not more. The human brain gets attracted to interesting, intriguing and engaging people.

People often act boring to be perceived as not weird or different and thus we always have that same boring old social script that constitute of “What do you do?” and “Where are you from?”. People often don’t show their true feelings or express themselves as they would want just to fit in. But you know what? Fitting in sucks and is annoying. Be entertaining and lively.

2. Body Language: Proper Body Language expresses availability and increases your attractiveness while interacting with others.

For example, it has been found out that keeping your torso, chest, and abdomen open is an excellent way to show that you are available. While crossed arms, checking your phone in front of your chest give the vibe that you are unavailable. Research has also demonstrated that when people keep their hands inside pockets while interacting, they seem less trustworthy.

While these small things might seem insignificant, they have a pretty significant effect on the subconscious mind of other people. So having proper body language is a great way to be more sexually attractive.