Love: The Ugly Truth
Life Science in the Science of Attraction
My groupmates for the Science of Attraction exhibit were Georgia Asistin, Jayson Pinza, and Shir Saclauso.
The poster that was assigned to us was about the body shapes and movements of each sex, and the science behind why we find those attributes attractive. My groupmates and I decided to divide the work among ourselves, and we ended up with three topics: body shapes, body movements, and flirting.
The part for body shapes was done by Shir Saclauso. According to his research, it was found that symmetry place amajor role in the attractiveness of a body shape. We are attracted to symmetry because it is often equated by our brain to health. A symmetrical body means that the person is healthy. An asymmetrical body would mean otherwise. When we are in the womb, our shape often describes how healthy we are. The more nutrients a fetus gets from his mother, the more symmetrical his body as a newborn would be. As adults, symmetry could be seen in healthier people. People that keep in shape often have symmetrical faces and bodies. But those who are not often have faces that are asymmetrical. When comparing images of people before and after an exercise program, it can be noticed that the symmetry of the body improves as time goes on. Also, contrasts in the body shapes of males and females dictate attractiveness. It’s because the contrasts suggest if the person is a rival or a possible mate. If you find a person of the opposite sex with a more contrasting body shape than yours, more often you would be attracted to this person. But people that have a body shape like that of the opposite sex would often seem like rivals to the opposite sex and this lessens the attraction.
The part for body movements was done by Jayson Pinza and I. According to our research, a person’s walk shows how healthy he or she is. It’s kind of like advertising a person’s sex appeal and healthy. A sexy walk, defined by the swagger of the shoulders and puffing up of arms in men and the swaying of the hips in women, means that the person is healthy. Evolutionarily, we are attracted to these because not only does it advertise health but also fertility. Men swag their shoulders and puff up their arms to show that they could protect women. Women sway their hips to show that they are capable of bearing a child. Because of this, we are more attracted to a “healthier” walk. Also, it was found that dancing is a form of behavioral pattern which displays sexual attractiveness.
The part for flirting was done by Georgia Asistin. Her research contained several fun facts about flirting and human body language.
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Life Science Life 
