I've read a fair number of articles about the science of physical attraction and I am almost always disappointed. But the January-February issue of Psychology Today has just such a story that I found fascinating, for the way it really gets to the heart -- or should I say the nose -- of physical attraction.
To make a rather complex theory a lot less complex, the story says that attraction is based on scent and we are programmed to be attracted to people who are genetically quite different from us, but that women's noses are thrown off when they are on the birth control pill. The pill after all, replicates a state of pregnancy, and a pregnant women is naturally drawn to different types than a woman on the prowl for a mate.
"When we disregard what are noses tell us," the story states, "we can find ourselves mired in partnerships that breed sexual discontent, infertility, and even -- in extreme cases -- unhealthy offspring. One researcher quoted in the story even offers this advice: "If you're looking for a man to be the father of your child, go off the pill before you start your search."
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