8 Odd Reasons You Choose the Partner You Do

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8 Odd Reasons You Choose the Partner You Do

(WellnessPursuits.com) – Have you ever had a friend whose choice of partner was so out there that you could only shake your head and wonder, “What does she see in him?”

Well, it turns out that there’s not one answer, but eight. Beauty definitely is in the eye of the beholder, and how we perceive it is a combination of nature and nurture. Here are 8 odd reasons you choose the partner you do:

  1. Your Circle — Friends and family do have an influence on partner choice, but apparently, there are many other factors that can easily outweigh what your inner circle thinks of your new squeeze.
  2. Hormones — If we watch a movie and don’t enjoy the romance in it, we say the leads have no chemistry. Of course, this is a metaphor, but chemistry in the form of hormone fluctuation does play a part in who we’re attracted to at any given time. Research has found that women who start or stop the birth control pill may be more or less attracted to her partner.
  3. Genetics — Another odd reason for attraction is that it may be literally coded into us. One major study concluded that genes for certain traits influence you to be attracted to others with similar traits. This research found that we are more likely to choose a partner of a similar height.
  4. Compatibility — It seems obvious that having common interests would help keep a couple together, but did you know that the odder your interests are, the more likely they are to cement the bond with a SO? For example, two people from Orlando who meet in Dallas, are more likely to click than two Orlando natives who meet in Florida.
  5. Male/Female Paradigm — Whether or not we want to be pigeonholed, studies show that traditional gender archetypes have an influence on whether we are perceived as attractive.
  6. Intrinsic Aroma — Body odor seems like something you’d want to avoid while trying to attract a partner. We’re drawn to pheromones, which attract us to a partner and MHC genes. MHC genes make up our immune systems. We tend to be drawn to people whose immune systems are different from our own, which leads to more balanced, healthier offspring.
  7. Complementary Appearance — We’ve all heard that when people are married for a long time, they start to look like each other, but this explanation may be getting things backward. Research shows that we gravitate towards people who resemble us or our parents.
  8. Reliving the Past — You seek out what you’ve already experienced when searching for partners, even if it seems more like something you’d want to avoid — such as people with abusive parents ending up with abusive partners. This is because our brains are wired to perceive the familiar as safer than the unknown.

These 8 reasons may look as odd as your friend’s partner, but now you know what she sees (or smells!) in him.

~Here’s to Your Healthy Pursuits!

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