Why Are We Attracted to People Who Look Like Us?

It's always a little weird when a couple looks like they could be related, but Brit explains the science behind why it's not totally creepy! It involves percentages and kind of uncomfortable rating systems!

Hosted by: Brit Garner
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[FRIEDYOGURT-sc]

I'm attracted to people who look opposite to me, maybe that's because I'm ugly?

[therick]

No wonder I thought the bearded lady so hot

[michaeldaugustine]

Is this the same reason people tend to look like their dogs?

[davidbuschhorn]

I dated a woman who EVERYONE thought was my sister because she looked so much like me. Same hair color, vividly blue eyes, freckles on her cheeks and nose. I'm 6'2" and she's 6'. Anyone who only knew one of us would ask if we were siblings :-)

[eliannam.]

But what about couples who start to look alike as they age?

[luisaparodi]

I had noticed since more than 30 years, that a lot of couples that last a lot together are those that look like siblings or male-female twins. They meet young, had some kids that grow to be like younger siblings, and age together increasing the similarities. Even they dress the same style. I've explained to myself that some genes, in order to last in time, lead to seek similar phenotypes.

[marksilla]

I must look like Chris Hemsworth because I'm crazy attracted to him.

[trones]

...because 20 is DEFINITELY a large enough sample size...

[Inksanity]

maybe we're all just really narcissistic and we just dont realize

[Estertje]

I wonder how that worked when humans didnt have mirrors...

[Master_Therion]

Maybe instead of "The Selfish Gene, " Richard Dawkins should have written about "The Narcissistic Gene."

[TroutOfOrder]

This explain why Hila Klein looks like Ethan's mom?

[ArcaneOwlchemist]

"Yes, I love the way my partner looks, but if you can, could you make her look more like me?"

[FireHaxrd]

Wouldn't location be a much more dominating factor in this kind of field? People are much more likely to be near others who are genetically similar to themselves..

[vzangel]

I know at least 4 couples that look like siblings. I wonder if they realize how much they look alike.

[sudonim]

I'm not attracted to anyone who even looks remotely similar to me.

[QueenofSilence]

Being attracted to people who look like you?
I've never heard of this before. Nor would I ever consider that for a potential date. Why would I want a partner who looks like me?

[noeladoe]

This phenomena feels more like a correlation, due to demographics, culture and exposure. I find it likely that an individual is far more likely to consider a partner that looks different from themselves if they feel the other partner is part of their community, and the individual has been highly exposed to the partner's hereditary appearance. For example, a town with mixed white and hispanic, but with healthy blending and tolerance, and little or no conflict between these two groups. I use this as an example because it was apparent in my hometown, where the students in my high school were easy to date among people that were not visually similar to each other. Just as beauty is subjective, and cultural.

I can see how seeing yourself in another person may make them more attractive, but I think this also relates to perceived beauty of the self, as others in the comments have noted. Being narcissistic or simply confident of your appearance likely facilitates this, and already being in a healthy relationship tends to secure the insecure, so I'm curious about the study's participants. Perhaps the study accounted for these concerns? But I'd like to see more evidence for the idea.

[GMarieBehindTheMask]

I think its more than just looks though it's like we know our tribe when we come across them

[NastyFool]

Guys who keep bringing up out-of-race attractions; Just because someone is not the same race as you doesn't mean they can't look like you
I'm brown but my mom is white and people tell us all the time we look so alike