Do People Get Attracted to Those Who are as Physically Attractive as Them?
A viral study says that people tend to get attracted to those who are as attractive as them.
Before I can comment on this study or say whether it makes any sense or not, I have first to introduce you to certain facts about the psychology of attraction.
Few facts about the psychology of attraction
1) Women can sacrifice physical beauty for resources: Another study has shown that most women would sacrifice physical attractiveness. Most women will tell you that they want an attractive man, not a famous billionaire, but when the billionaire approaches them, you will find them doing the exact opposite of what they said.
2) Many people like those who are more attractive than them: Notice how people are mad about celebrities, and you will quickly realize that many people get attracted to those who are much more attractive than them.
3) Some people have self-image problems: A large number of attractive people don’t even think that they are attractive, and thus they don’t really know whether people find them attractive or not. In such a case, the choice of a partner can be affected by this fact. Those people might believe that attractive ones won’t like them and so go for less attractive ones
4) Confident men aim for attractive women: One study showed that the more confident a man is, the more likely he is to go after an attractive woman even if he had average looks. In other words, the more confident a person is, the more he believes he deserves to be with an attractive person with disregard for his looks
5) People with low self-esteem aim for less attractive targets: Another study has shown that people with lower self-esteem aim for less attractive targets, disregarding their looks. This means that an attractive person could aim for a less attractive one just because of believing that he can’t do better
6) Perceived peer pressure: Perceived peer pressure affects partner choice to a great extent. Many people find others attractive, but they don’t go for them because of peer pressure. People whose friends highly influence are very likely to dump someone just because of believing that he won’t appeal to their friends. In other words, they are afraid to be judged as incompetent if they got into a relationship with someone who is not that attractive according to their friends’ point of view.
Do likes attract?
Likes do attract, but people don’t have to end up with those who are as physically attractive as them. The study mentioned at the beginning of this article didn’t consider the 6 points mentioned above, and that’s why it won’t make any sense in many cases.
Of course, similarity leads to attraction, but this similarity can be spotted along with different domains and not just the physical attractiveness domain.
Also, people judge physical attractiveness differently because of the experiences they have been through. As a result, a person could think that someone is attractive while another could find him much less attractive.
The conclusion is, this study makes no sense at all.
