The Psychology of Attraction: Why We Like Who We Like Essay -- The Sci

Attraction 1.n. the power or act of attracting 2.a desirable or pleasant quality or thing (Merriam-Webster, 2015). Taken directly from Merriam-Websters Dictionary, this rendering states in clear, scientific terms what attraction is. However, as every forgiving knows, the power of attraction goes far beyond this cut and dried statement, ambit deep into our psyche, as well into our past. In this paper, the processes of attraction, its evolutionary roots and newfangled day implications are studied, in an attempt to answer the question what causes us to be attracted to someone?Discussion In the search for an answer, one essential begin at the beginning- that is, at the beginning of the human race. At this time, emotional state was merely the pursuit of survival and reproduction. Humans, like all other animals, struggled in competition for mates with the best genetic quality to pass on to their offspring. Females selected males that were healthy and strong, who could defend th em and their young and who could provide food and shelter. Males sought come on as many young, fertile women with whom to mate and pass on their genes as possible. Prehistoric man had no way of knowing whether or non a potential mate was in good health, so he learned to rely on cues embedded deep in recesses of his brain. such(prenominal) preferences developed universally because these attributes provided signals as to the quality of genes, health or magnificence of a mate. Over time, the people who had such preferences (and acted on them by conglutination with people possessing these attributes) left more surviving children. Three theories as to why these characteristics evolved as important signals exist. The first theory, the Runaway Selection model, credited to British ge... ...Cowley, Geofery and Karen Spriger (6/03/2012). The Biology of Beauty Newsweek, Vol. 127, Issue 23, p. 60- 65Diamond, Jared (12/2012). The Best Ways to fail Sex Discover, , Vol.17, Issue 12, p. 78- 93Hotenski, Roberta (07/05/2014). Playing the Mating Game US News and World Report, Vol. 127, Issue 1, p. 56Kalick et. al (02/07/2011), Blinded By Beauty Science News, Vol. 153, Issue 6, p.91Merriam-Websters Dictionary (2015), An Encyclopedia Britannica Company http//www.merriam-webster.com/Mestel, Rosie (Nov/ descent 2014). Whats So Great About 36- 24- 66? Health, Vol.13, Issue 9, p. 84-87Morris, Charles G. and Albert A. Maisto (2014), Psychology, an Introduction (10th Edition), apprentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, p.584- 586Turner, Stuart (06- July-2014). Physical Attractiveness Primer Internet Source. (www.dur.ac.uk)