We’re attracted to people who are like us, and science says so

the doppelbangingScientifically proven ? A contraction of the verb “to Bang” (which in English means “to sleep with someone”) and “doppelganger” (German for “living doppelgänger”), this translated word refers to going out with people who are physically similar to us.

And A recent study published In July 2023 in the scientific journal Evolution and human behavior — which studied 682 heterosexual participants and conducted 2,285 speed dating sessions — revealed that we actually He is attracted to people who have similar faces and features for us.

“Sharing some common facial features can enhance attraction.”

People who look (physically) similar flock together: this is what researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia, who tried to understand the origins of romantic and physical attraction, discovered. They revealed in a new study that “Partners whose facial features were similar to those of their interaction counterparts were rated as more attractive […] the Sharing some common facial features can enhance attraction“, Begins PsyPost.

“Some have suggested that long-term shared living arrangements lead to closer physical similarity, but there is conflicting evidence regarding this possibility,” the scientists noted. Indeed, the physical similarity but also Sweat [communauté de langage et de culture, ndlr] It played a role in our attraction to a partner. “Participants received higher ratings of facial attractiveness from same-race partners,” the psychology outlet continues.

How do we explain that? According to them, these almost identical facial features “could not be so.” They are not consciously prominent or even detectable“By individuals Write researchers. In fact, the attraction to similar people would be subconscious, explained by the fact that “similar faces could indicate kinship” or that “positive mating could lead to net positive reproductive advantages,” the scientists continued in the study.

Kindness, understanding and compassion for those like us

But the Australian researchers also revealed that in addition to finding attractive partners who are similar to us, we will feel more kind, more understanding, and more compassion towards them. “Participants rated partners who shared facial features as kinder and more understanding, which reinforces the idea Similarity can enhance feelings of kinship and reliability.”,Communicate the media PsyPost.

An unconscious but strong desire to get closer to something that is physically similar to us, as confirmed by psychologist Justin Lehmiller, a researcher at the Kinsey Institute. From the American magazine time “What’s familiar to us tends to be what we like and what attracts us,” he explained. “You’re aware of your own appearance, so seeing other people who share these kinds of similar traits can lead to greater empathy for that cause.”

but, The researchers also note limitations, particularly that only the relationship between the sexes has been studied. Additionally, “real-life interactions are inherently complex, influenced by various factors beyond facial features […] Although our study reveals that people have a preference for facial similarity, we… We do not know whether this preference translates into actual mate choice. So it would be interesting to study whether couples tend to have more similar faces.