10 Things You Don't Know About Attraction

11 June 2009

There are some surprising — and kinda crazy — factors that come into play when choosing a mate or even just a hookup. Like his belly button and the color of your clothing. Intrigued? Read on...

1. Your Nose Should Be Part of Foreplay
The blend of lavender and pumpkin turns guys on. But, you don’t have to bake a pie and douse yourself in lavender oil. You can create the combination by lighting two candles or spraying these scents on your neck. Oh, and tell your guy to spritz on a cologne with hints of cucumbers or black licorice, since those smells were found to arouse women.
Source: Smell and Taste Research Foundation in Chicago


2. Guys Find Women in This Color More Desirable
A chick in red is more likely to be asked on a date and have more money spent on her. It’s because men are influenced by cultural symbols - like Valentine’s Day - that associate the color with romance, and primal instincts that link the color with sex. Maybe that’s why the butts of some animals turn red when they are ready to mate.
Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology


3. Cocktail Goggles Are for Real
When we’re drunk, guys look cuter because we don’t notice the asymmetry of their face. The biological explanation: A symmetric guy is less likely to have genetic defects and makes a better mate.
Source: Journal of Psychopharmacology


4. Men Do This When They’re into Someone
A man will subconsciously position his belly button toward the woman in the room he is most attracted to — even if he’s speaking with someone else. (Suss out your competition by checking out which women are pointing their belly buttons at him, since the rule applies to chicks as well!)
Source: Janine Driver, body language expert


5. It’s All About Timing
One week you might be craving that beefy guy at the gym, but the next week you have the hots for the slender guy next door. This could be because ovulating women prefer men with masculine features, who would make the strongest, healthiest children. Meanwhile, menstruating women want men with softer, more feminine looks who seem kinder and more cooperative.
Source: Nature Journal

6. Stress Equals Sexual Attraction
A guy in a high-anxiety or stressful situation is more likely to take a chance on you. Researchers set out to see how adrenaline and risk played into attraction by putting a woman on both a shaky and stable bridge. The study found that men who crossed the unstable bridge were more likely to ask out the same woman afterward than those men who crossed a steady bridge. It’s because conditions of high stimulation heighten sexual attraction.
Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology


7. Size (of His Gut) Matters
You can tell a lot about a guy’s sex drive and fertility before he even drops trou. Men with broad shoulders and a solid chest have a lesser health risk, making them better mates. Meanwhile, guys with a gut have lower levels of testosterone. Low testosterone leads to a lower sex drive and lower fertility.
Source: Harry Fisch, MD, and Kara Baskin, authors of Size Matters


8. A Sign It Could Be Long-Term Love
If you and your guy’s mom look alike, there’s a good chance it’ll work out between you two. Guys are more likely to pair up with women whose bone structure is similar to their own mothers. It’s called “sexual imprinting,” and suggests that the faces we find appealing as adults are determined in childhood.
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B


9. The 5/15 Rule
If a dude touches you 5 times in 15 minutes, you are totally in. A man will find excuses to put his hands on you to see how you respond. He might touch your arm, tuck a piece of hair behind your ear, or play with your necklace. If you tighten up and freeze, he’ll know to back off.
Source: Bryn Drescher, Body Language Institute


10. This Move Means He’s Smitten
When a guy mirrors your moves, he’s subconsciously telling you he’s interested in you. Sitting the same way as you, doing the same hand motions, and leaning his head in the same direction are all subtle cues that he’s attracted. And if he licks his lips after you lick yours, it’s a definite sign of desire.
Source: A. Kelly-Anderson, PhD, American Psychological Association

source: Cosmopolitan

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