What is it that leads us to choose a given mate? Why do we find certain body shapes attractive? Why is it that the girls with the big booties and tiny waists get all the guys? And how is it that the men with symmetrical faces and wide shoulders win the favour of the fairest ladies?
The answer is simple - within just moments of meeting a member of the opposite sex, our subconscious minds make a decisive decision as to whether this individual can provide suitable genetic material for our future children. What our subconscious doesn't seem to realise is that we're not always lining up members of the opposite sex for this purpose. In fact, our subconscious uses the same check list when sizing up a potential one night stand that it does when met with someone who we might actually want to start a family with. And that subconscious check list remains even when we're past the days of baby-making and enjoying a later blooming.
So what are the visual signals that we seek in partners? Surprisingly, the answer is not big boobs and a tight ass.
Symmetry appears to play a significant role. This is explained by the fact that we are formed through a splitting of cells. If this process continues from conception in a successful manner, we will be born with symmetrical faces and bodies. Few individuals are born and continue through life as symmetrical beings. Those whose bodies could theoretically be folded over onto themselves to make a perfect match are often visually arresting, just by virtue of the mirror match effect of their features.
Hip to waist ratio is another attraction factor. Women with waists that are significantly narrower than their hips seem to be most attractive to men. Such a ratio is a visual clue that speaks directly to a man's subconscious and tells him that a woman is strong enough to carry his child. Try explaining that to a guy who chases big bootied women for short lived flings!
Men with straight hips and waist appear to be most attractive to women, but strong shoulders for working hard and bearing weight seem to be more important when it comes to getting the girl.
Face structure plays a factor in attraction. Fine-boned women with prominent eyes are often deemed to be the most attractive, while a man's strong jaw is sure to turn the heads of the ladies. Again, this attraction is due to a subconscious awareness that the narrow jaws of women suggest good reproductive health, while the wider jaws of men indicate a high level of testosterone.
And what about those brother-sister couples, who appear to look weirdly alike? Some put this phenomenon down to vanity on the part of both partners however, there is another explanation. Once again, it all comes down to baby making. For the sake of our children's health and well being, we often seek out mates who have similar but not identical genetic material to our own.
Much is written about pheromones and the power of these secret-super-scents to drive us wild. While one can be drawn to the smell of another person's skin, some researchers argue that humans do not absorb the scent of pheromones, either because pheromones are usually found floating somewhere near our feet, or because we have become genetically predisposed to favour visual signs of attraction, rather than olfactory signals.
Whatever it is that causes us to find someone physically attractive, attraction alone does not appear capable of sustaining long term relationships. Communication, caring and shared interests seem to be the ingredients for lasting success, however a good dose of attraction certainly helps things along in the beginning, even if our subconscious keeps us in the dark as to why it causes us to look twice at the dark eyed beauty we spot across a room.
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