The trait that attracts us at first sight (according to science)
They have been carried out Hundreds of studies on attraction and infatuation . And to this day, everything is not yet said in regard to the great mystery of the relationship of our brain and our behavior with the romantic. The truth is that both falling in love and the attraction to another individual are complex phenomena to study, which involve individual but also cultural factors.
In today's article we echo an investigation that claims to have found the key to the attractiveness of men and women (at least, in the West). So do not miss it!
You may be interested: "The chemistry of love: a very powerful drug"What science says so far
Having said that, and before moving on to the topic of this article, you might be interested in another article that we published just a few months ago, in which you can find a compilation of the results of the different investigations that talk about falling in love and attraction. .
Because in recent decades studies in this field have been many and varied, and despite the fact that there has not always been a consensus on this matter, they allow us to draw some curious conclusions about this phenomenon and they help us understand what happens inside the mind of the lover .
These conclusions of different works carried out by psychologists, sociologists and doctors can be found in our article. "Love and falling in love: 7 surprising investigations".
The trait that men and women find most attractive
But what is the trait or characteristic that men or women think is more attractive in the opposite sex? This is what Jessica Tracy, a professor at the British Columbia University (United States) and director of a research carried out by the same university that was published in the American Psychological Association Journal.
The subjects of the study were presented with different photographs of the opposite sex. Participants were then asked what their reaction was to the attraction they felt for the expressions they saw. The results can be considered surprising in terms of the tastes of women: "Men who are considered more attractive are those who show a more serious trait and smile less" , says Tracy.
The reaction of men is opposite to that of women
However, the reaction of men was contrary to that of women. "For men, women who smile are very attractive. This was the characteristic most appreciated by men " said Tracy.
Researchers admit that they do not know exactly why this difference. Now, there are also different studies that affirm that women like bad guys or hard guys, in which the smile is not precisely its most characteristic feature. But Tracy warns: "When people want a long-term relationship they look for other things and not just physical attractiveness, for example, if they are a good person or responsible person. So this investigation does not say you're a bad man. "
Another study confirms that bad-tempered men are smarter
And the results of this research are surprising. But Moody men, in addition to being more attractive to women, are smarter . This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Joseph Forgas and published in Australasian Science. This expert in emotions devised different experiments in which the mood of the subjects was manipulated through films and positive or negative memories.
The scientist found that being in a bad mood helps us think more clearly. Contrary to what happens with people with excessive optimism, people who are characterized by their usual bad mood make better decisions In addition, they are more unbelieving people: it is not easy to deceive them.
In addition, according to Forgas, people with a more dejected state of mind have greater ability to argue their opinions in writing. People process reason and common sense better and have a better communication style. Finally, this study seems to indicate that bad weather also affects us, because wet and sad days improve memory, while sunny days favor forgetfulness.
You can read more about this research in our article: "People with a difficult character tend to be smarter, according to study"
