Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That being said, you don’t have to be the most beautiful person in the world to be considered attractive. Attractiveness does not rely solely on physical appearance; it is based on so much more than that.
From the way you behave, the way you smile to how you talk to other people and even depending on the people you hang out with, there are numerous factors that influence your level of attractiveness and appeal. Read on to find out some tricks that will help you make a good first impression and become more attractive to other people. It’s not us who says it, it’s science!
Start with laughter. Women are more attracted to men who make them laugh
It’s not only something your friends tell you to make you feel better about yourself. It’s a proven thing that people, and particularly women, are more attracted to men with a sense of humor.
One study found that men were more effective in getting women’s phone numbers if they told something funny to a group of friends and women witnessed that. The study focused on three men who were asked to say something funny to their friends sitting at the bar, in the presence of a woman sitting nearby. After telling the joke, men were supposed to approach the woman and try to get her number. At the end of the experiment, the psychologist asked the woman to rate the man who she saw telling the joke based on attractiveness and intelligence. She was also asked if she saw the man as being “long-term partner” material.
Curious to know the results of the experiment? Well, the men who told funny jokes had three times more chances of getting the woman’s number, compared to the men who didn’t tell any jokes. They were also considered smarter and more charming.
“The effect of a great sense of humor on women’s attractions might be partially explained by the fact that funny people are considered to be more social and more intelligent, things that women seek in a mate,” revealed anthropologist Gil Greengross. So, guys, what are you waiting for? Brush up on those jokes and enjoy the results!
You might also like 20 Conversation Starters That Will Make a Good Impression.
People look better when they’re surrounded by other people. Therefore, go out with friends
Another experiment by researchers at the University of California-San Diego and described in a 2013 study, involved 25 men and women undergrads. They were all asked to look at 300 photos of women’s faces. The photos showed isolated portraits of women as well as group photos.
A different experiment repeated the same pattern, but this time 18 undergrads were asked to evaluate photos of men. Results revealed that both men and women were considered more attractive when they were in a group. This is called “the cheerleader effect”, which some of you might have heard about. “Having a few wingmen or wingwomen may indeed be a good dating strategy, particularly if their facial features complement and average out one’s unattractive idiosyncrasies,” study authors Drew Walker and Edward Vul suggested.
Show others your leader side
In a different experiment, researchers recruited 49 legislative assistants in Wisconsin to evaluate how attractive various politicians were. In this case, the participants evaluated politicians and rated them based on their political commitments (Republican or Democrat). Surprisingly or not, the party leaders came first.
“In contrast with research traditions that treat physical attractiveness as a static trait, our findings highlight the importance of group membership as a lens for perceiving familiar leaders’ physical attractiveness,” lead author Kevin Kniffin and his colleagues wrote.
Speaking of science, here are 13 Things Scientifically Proven to Make Women More Attractive to Men.
Smile. A happy facial expression may override unattractiveness
In two different experiments conducted by Swiss researchers, the emphasis was on the connection between attractiveness and smiling. The conclusions were that the happier a person seemed, the more attractive it becomes to other people. That’s because a smiling person seems more approachable and likable to others. It’s the easiest trick to make people like you almost immediately. Speaking of which, here are other 12 Smart Ways to Make People Instantly Like You.
Get a pet. It indicates that you are not afraid of long-term commitments
During an experiment conducted in 2014 in Israel, one hundred women were asked to check the profiles of various men. The men shown to the female participants were split into two categories: cads – men who cheat and disrespect their partners and dads- men who focus on their jobs but are also involved in raising their children.
Surprisingly enough, even if a certain man was described as a cad, the fact that he owned a dog made him seem more approachable and even more suitable as a long-term partner. Even more surprising was that cads with pets were considered more attractive than dads with dogs!
No small talk allowed. People who discuss substantive issues seem more connected than people who talk about superficial topics.
No one likes superficial things. So, why should you settle for superficial people talking about superficial topics?
A study performed in 1997 by State University of New York psychologist Arthur Aron started by separating two groups of undergrads. They were then paired off and each pair was given 45 minutes to answer various questions.
The set of questions received by the first group included trivial small talk while the other one consisted of deeper questions. The result? The pairs who asked themselves deeper questions felt a stronger and deeper connection. More than that, the connection became a real thing for two participants in the experiment who ended up dating a few months later. It seems probing things can make a huge difference!
Show off your musical side. Men with musical skills are more attractive to women
Another 2014 experiment involved 1,500 women (with an average age of 28) who were requested to listen to various pieces of music. Some were simpler while others seemed more elaborate and sophisticated. The female participants were then required to say how attractive they think the composer of each music piece was.
What do you think they said? Well, since women are not simple human beings, they choose the more complex music during “peak conception times” and felt more attracted to the complex music composers. Apart from being considered more attractive, composers of more elaborate music pieces were also considered more suitable for long-term relationships. Speaking of relationships, check out these 14 Signs of a Strong and Healthy Relationship, According to Psychologists.
