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Ever wondered why some couples look so much alike? Like they could be brother and sister? New research from the University of Queensland in Australia has found a scientific explanation. According to the study, people are more attracted to those who are similar to them. And by that, they also suggest that opposites don’t attract .
2,285 speed dates
The study, conducted by scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia, involved 682 heterosexual participants. The participants were allowed to speed date with each other in the laboratory, resulting in a total of 2,285 speed dates. About half of the speed dates were with partners of the same ethnicity, while the other half were with partners of different ethnicities.
During the study, participants were given three minutes to talk to different partners, similar to speed dating . After these interactions, they were given a questionnaire to fill out to rate the attractiveness and friendliness of their conversation partner.
The study found that people with similar facial features rated each other as more attractive. People of the same ethnicity also rated each other as more attractive than participants of a different ethnicity. Interestingly, ethnicity did not appear to affect ratings of friendliness. Similar facial features did: people with similar features rated each other as friendlier, regardless of whether they were of the same ethnicity or not.
The study also revealed that masculine facial features were considered more attractive in men and less attractive in women, suggesting that there may be a genetic basis for what we find attractive in a face .
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Sense of kinship
Now, you might be thinking, why are people more attracted to people who look like them? Well, the researchers have an interesting hypothesis for that. They suggest that similar appearance creates a sense of kinship, making people feel comfortable, familiar, and connected to those who look like them. So, if you’ve ever found yourself attracted to someone who looks like you, there’s actually a scientific explanation.
According to the NY Post, Norwegian scientists from the universities of Oslo and Tromsø conducted a study in 2013 in which participants were shown facial changes in their partners. They were shown a photo of their own partner, a version of their partner with parts of themselves added, and several versions with facial changes. The participants were then asked to choose which version they found most attractive.
What do you think? Participants clearly preferred a “Self-based morph,” their partner’s face with a small portion of their own face incorporated, over other altered images, the researchers said.
The current study confirms, according to the researchers, that people are more attracted to people who look like them. Both in photos, but also in real-life situations. So the next time you see a couple that looks like each other , you don’t have to wonder if they are related. It’s just the natural attraction that people feel to others who look like them.
ALSO READ: Couples Have More in Common Than We Think’
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