When we consciously think about what attracts us to others, we may focus on a smile, a great sense of humor or an attractive physique. But have you ever wondered about the factors that unconsciously affect our attraction to others? Although we are unaware of their influence, unconscious factors can have a strong effect on both the initial spark and our long-term romantic interactions. Both men and women are influenced by unconscious forces; below we focus on the unconscious influences that make a potential mate attractive (or unattractive) to women.
Genetic influences
We often do not think about the possibility of our genetic background affecting our attraction to others; however, our genes can have a significant impact on the sexual attraction we feel for others. Evolutionarily speaking, it is useful to mate with a partner that possesses different immune genes than our own to enhance the immunity of future offspring. There is evidence that heterosexual women are likely to marry men with immune genes that are different from their own. But even after we have chosen a mate, these genes can still influence our attraction to our partners.
Hormonal influences
Women’s attractiveness varies greatly throughout their cycle. When women are in the most fertile part of their cycles and the probability of conception is the highest, women are more attracted to men with very masculine looking faces (taking this as a potential indicator of genetic quality). However, during the non-fertile portion of their cycle, they prefer men with more feminine facial features. Even after choosing a partner, when estrogen levels are high, women are more interested in sex with men other than their partners, while when progesterone levels are high, women are more interested in sex with their partners.
Family resemblance
A variety of research shows that heterosexual women are unconsciously attracted to men who resemble their fathers, their brothers and even themselves. In one project, respondents compared facial photographs of romantic partners of women with photographs of unrelated men and photographs of the women’s siblings. Women’s siblings were ranked as the most similar to women’s romantic partners. Similarly, in another study, women were sexually attracted to photographs of men that had been transformed with photographs of their fathers. These researchers emphasize that women are not attracted to their relatives as such; rather, these preferences may indicate that women are attracted to their relatives as such. women look for a man who resembles their family members, because genes that are similar to theirs may be optimal for reproductive success.
Subconscious attraction
Although we seldom consider that there are unconscious forces driving our attraction to others, these factors can have a great influence on sexual attraction to women.
