Why? And I'm not talking personality. I know some people are more inclined to fall for someone and become physically attracted to someone they find emotionally appealing but I'm more curious to know why everyone notices someone physically (I've tried to soley focus on the emotional appeal before and it didn't end well...). I've noticed that some people prefer those who look similar to and other who are opposites.
I think what people are physically attracted to has some to do with the media always telling us what is sexy and what is not. Of course there are other reasons as to what makes us notice someone who is physically attractive.
^^I've never really bought into that. My opinion is the reverse-- publications occasionally go out on a limb, but mostly see what the people think is attractive and perpetuate that. How else would anyone achieve gorgeous lightning rod status if they're not traditionally pretty? "There is no exquisite beauty," as Poe reminds us, in Ligeia, "without some strangeness in the proportion..."
I've heard that people find those who have traits that they're familiar with to be the most attractive. So, if one spends a lot of time with pop culture, they may lean more towards hollywood stars. Dunno if it's true ,but it certainly sounds reasonable.
In humans, for the most part, symmetry is one of the things that make people most attractive. This to me makes sense, the more you deviate from symmetry the less attractive I'll find you. If you have an eyeball on your chin and a horn growing out of your cheek...well, you get the picture.
In addition to aesthetics and facial symmetry, there are a number of biological reasons that attract us to someone, but it's not something that we consciously notice. There's an interesting theory that our bodies choose mates based on immune systems, so that we can create offspring with strong immune systems.
