5 Unconscious Triggers That Make You Fall for Someone: The Science of Attraction

Have you ever wondered what draws you to someone? While you might have a mental checklist of desirable traits or characteristics, there are also some peculiar factors that unconsciously attract you to others. These quirks might seem strange, and you may not even be aware of them. For instance, how could feeling anxious on a date be advantageous? Does it matter which ear you speak into when you first meet someone? And how can watching a scary movie featuring a clown improve your odds of securing a second date?

Here are five weird things that can increase attraction.

1) The propinquity effect

Propinquity refers to the phenomenon where merely being around someone frequently over a prolonged period can increase your attraction to them and/or lead to a strong relationship. According to the American Psychological Association, people tend to form close connections with individuals they regularly encounter.

For instance, if you go on your daily walk in a crowded park and see familiar faces repeatedly, you may develop an attraction to some of them or feel closer to them in general. Similarly, seeing the same pizza delivery person every week could trigger a craving for more than just pizza. Psychologist Nick Hopson explained to Bustle that our brains appreciate a sense of familiarity, and we often mistake that feeling for attraction. So, is it attraction or just familiarity that we feel towards people we encounter frequently?

2) Eating fruits and green vegetables.

Consuming green vegetables can boost your chances in the dating scene. As Spider-Man advises, it's important to work out, get enough sleep, and ensure you eat a balanced diet, including green vegetables.

A study published in Evolution and Human Behavior in 2017 discovered that female participants in the study found the body odor of males who consumed refined carbohydrates less attractive. In contrast, they were more attracted to males who had a higher intake of fruits and vegetables. The study also indicated that consuming more fruits and vegetables led to more pleasant-smelling sweat, with fruity, floral, sweet, and medicinal notes.

3)Right ear or Left ear?

People may just like what you have to say if they hear it first from a certain side.

According to a study conducted by researchers in Italy in 2009, individuals may be more receptive to what you have to say if you speak into a particular ear. In the study, Daniele Marzoli and Luca Tommasi had a woman ask for a cigarette from 176 people at a nightclub. The results showed that the participants, regardless of their gender, were twice as likely to grant her request if she addressed them through their right ear.

The study further suggests that in their previous research, participants were more inclined to comply with an experimenter's request when it was addressed to their right ear rather than their left. This is likely because the brain's left hemisphere is primarily responsible for processing language, and the right ear provides auditory input to this side of the brain.

4)How good is being nervous?

According to a study published in 2020 in the journal Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, it is common for people to feel nervous around someone they are attracted to. The study reveals that participants experienced anxiety-related physiological and behavioral reactions during their first interaction with someone they found highly attractive.

However, the study also suggests that nervousness can be beneficial in identifying individuals who share the same feelings of attraction. Dr. Wendy L. Patrick, a Behavioral Analyst, emphasizes in an article for Psychology Today that the study's findings are particularly valid because nervous responses often include positive reactions such as smiling and laughing.

Dr. Patrick further explains that the researchers of the study point out that nervous reactions could be misconstrued as awkwardness or discomfort. However, these reactions could be evidence of romantic interest and trigger reciprocity.

Don't you think it would be nice to find out if someone you're interested in is feeling just as nervous as you are? Knowing this could really take the pressure off when it comes to asking them out on a date.

5)Misattribution of emotions.

Donald Dutton and Arthur Arong conducted a study in 1973 on the psychology of attraction. In the study, an attractive female experimenter asked male subjects between the ages of 18 and 35 a series of questions. The men had to cross a bridge to get to the female experimenter, and half of them crossed a high, and unstable bridge while the other half crossed a stable and low bridge. After showing each subject an ambiguous image, the experimenter asked them to tell a story about what could be happening in the picture. At the end of the questionnaire, the woman gave each man her phone number, inviting them to call her if they had any questions about the study.

According to the results, the men who crossed the unstable bridge wrote stories on their questionnaire that had more sexual content and imagery compared to those who crossed the low bridge. Only two out of the 16 subjects who went over the low stable bridge contacted the female experimenter later, while half of those who crossed the high scary bridge called her after the experiment ended.

Dutton and Aaron hypothesized that the scary bridge caused arousal in the subjects, which they misattributed to feelings for the attractive female experimenter. This phenomenon is known as the misattribution of emotions. Similarly, if someone goes on an exciting adrenaline-inducing date or watches a horror movie, they might mistake their feelings of arousal as feelings for their companion.

Psychologist Nick Hobson explains that putting someone in a highly energized emotional state can make them more attracted to their partner than if they met during a calm setting. Opposite notes that we wrongly believe that the excitability we're experiencing is due to the energy in the interaction with a potential partner.