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Wouldn’t we all like to be a little warmer?
With the global market for weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy expected to reach $100 billion by 2035, and demand for Botox expected to reach $10.62 billion by 2030, no There is a lack of procedures to help us on our path to greater itchiness.
But now a scientist has revealed the real science behind the appeal, and it doesn’t involve surgery.
Lillian Park, associate professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the State University of New York – Old Westbury, says that instead of changing our appearance, we can actually manipulate the way people see us.
In the book How to Win Friends and Influence Mushrooms: Collected Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Quirks from Nerd Nitedetails five scientifically proven ways to appear more attractive to other people.
Researchers have found that both men and women find the opposite sex more attractive when they wear red.
Dress in red
Park says the colors we wear could have a significant impact on how attractive we appear to others.
“Researchers have found that wearing the color red increases how physically attractive people find you.”
This is because while red is often thought of as a sign of danger and aggression, it also symbolizes passion, love and desire.
A landmark study published in 2008 presented one group of men with a photograph of a woman wearing a red shirt, while a separate group saw the same woman wearing a blue shirt. When asked to rate her attractiveness, the lady in red was found to be much more sexually desirable.
In a separate study, published in 2010, women were shown photographs of a man wearing first a red shirt and then a green one. Women rated the man dressed in red as significantly more attractive and sexually desirable.
But you don’t even have to go all out for Little Red Riding Hood, Park says. A touch of color, such as a tie or lipstick, will be enough.
have handsome friends
Contrary to popular opinion, it turns out that having attractive friends helps raise our perception of our own physical attractiveness.
“Yes, being surrounded by good-looking friends makes you look more handsome than if you were alone or surrounded by plain friends,” says Park.
‘Researchers at Michigan State University found that having attractive friends on social media made people think the owner of the profile was more attractive. So let your beautiful friends do the heavy lifting. Surround yourself with them and voila, your own attractiveness will be elevated.
Let people come to you
“When it comes to attractiveness,” Park says, “it turns out you want to be the hunted.”
A Northwestern University study was conducted at a speed dating event. For half the event, the men moved from table to table, while the women stayed in place. In the other half, the women moved, while the men remained still.
Let the object of your desire come closer to you: people of both sexes are considered more attractive when they are passive.
The results surprised the researchers, who found that attractiveness was rated higher when the opposing party was more passive, regardless of their gender.
“People who moved experienced greater attraction and chemistry toward their speed dating partner,” he said.
So the next time you find yourself attracted to someone in a crowded bar, let them do the work.
Wait until closing time
“It’s true, people become more attractive at closing time,” says Park.
But the old beer goggles myth is only part of the story.
Australian researchers conducted a study in a Sydney bar. Patrons were asked to rate the attractiveness of their bar mates at the beginning of the night, in the middle of the night, and at closing.
Their blood alcohol levels were also tested.
Lillian Park (left) says that instead of changing our appearance, we can manipulate the way people see us.
And although they became progressively drunker, the researchers said this alone could not explain the changes in perceptions of attractiveness. Rather, they said that repeated exposure to the same people, combined with the shrinking pool of potential romantic options, led customers to see people as much more attractive the longer the night went on.
“So go to a bar, be seen, and wait until closing time when there’s not as much competition,” Park says. ‘Easy!’
Personality does matter
‘Human beings are not as superficial as we think. In fact, your physical attractiveness can be manipulated by your personality,” says Park.
He cites a study in which people were asked to rate the physical attractiveness of photographs of people. Half of the photos had desirable personality traits, such as honesty, intelligence, humor and kindness. The other half were associated with negative traits including offensiveness, cruelty, rudeness and abuse.
“Fortunately, people found photos with desirable personality traits more attractive,” he says.
‘Do you remember the previous study where being surrounded by beautiful people increased your attractiveness? In that same study, researchers found that the comments and behaviors of good-looking friends were important.
‘Positive comments and kind behaviors from handsome friends increased attractiveness among social media profile owners. We want to be with kind, generous, trustworthy and supportive people. There’s nothing sexier than someone who makes us feel good.’
He adds: “Being the kind of person other people want to be with because of your great personality immediately increases your attractiveness.”
How to Win Friends and Influence Mushrooms: Collected Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Quirks from Nerd Nite by Chris Balakrishnan and Matt Wasowski, illustrated by Kristen Orr, is published February 20 from St Martin’s Press