I haven’t seen this particular show, but I watched one some time ago with similar insights, but rather focused on the scientific reasons behind physical attraction.

Now back to your questions:
- Do you think we have a genetic predisposition to being attracted to certain people?

I do, but environmental factors (culture, education, etc) have a great influence on this predisposition in my opinion.

- Have you found yourself attracted to a particular lover’s scent?
I am not sure how develloped my smelling ability is, but some (natural) smells and tastes as well are definitely more repelling/attractive than others, for no particular reason.

- Do women find that they feel sexier when they’re ovulating?

The hormonal influence during ovulation is definitely undeniable in my opinion, whether it’s physical or emotional. Now whether you feel sexier during ovulation or more attractive, I would say it’s a little too much of a generalization, but I personally definitely feel hornier during that time lol. Can we assimilate that to feeling sexier, somewhat I guess lol.

- Do you think that there could be a “love hormone?” Do you think genetics and evolution play a role in monogamous relationships?

For me the “love hormone” raises the question of how much our genes predetermine a certain pattern or behavior, whether it’s sexual (habits, preference), intellectual (intelligence), physical (body shape), emotional (mental health), etc. Once again I am extremely reserved on this delicate topic. I agree that science shows some very strong consistent linkages, relationships and correlations, but I strongly believe other external factors overall play a very important (if not greater) role in determining those components of our personality or behavior.

Just a quick opinion (but I could say so much more).

@NWSO

Thats funny closet nerd! I have been called in undercover nerd on a few occasion.

I dont think there is a deposition to what were attracted to. Some people who grow up around certain cultures like the features thats popular in those culture.

@NWSO and da Throne there’s nothing wrong with being a nerd wear it proudly NWSO…back to the subject at hand I haven’t seen this particular program but I have seen one similar on TLC…(one of my favorite channels next to discovery and the history channel)…and I learned that we as women are more likely to date or see someone based on their smell and that our orgasms are more intense than males…its fasinating what you learn from these shows and the things you discover within yourself are addicting it causes you to turn your curiosity into action…I thinks its very interesting that us women are one of the only species that have sex year round I didn’t know that…we are such amazing and unique creatures…but I do believe that we are genetically attracted to one another…might not be our husband or wife but it could be a future realtionship…but where does one look for their genetic match? No one wants to remain single forever…let me know…
*peace and love*

Marley

I don’t know about all these findings. Scientists – in my personal opinion – tend to over-analyze and over-rationalize. Besides, what one study finds tends to be combatted by the next. So what’s to be believed?

Monogamous relationships the way we know them from all I have read/seen on TV are a cultural development more than a “genetic predisposition”. Society, especially the church, dictated morals, values and rules. By mother nature, men and women are only meant to spend about 4-5 years together and then split because it only takes that amount of time to mate, have offspring and raise them together to a point where their survival is likely enough. After that, all bets are off and especially the men moved on to have more offspring with more women.

A “love hormone”? I don’t know. And quite honestly, I don’t think so either. Especially since nowadays our hormone systems are all messed up due to the way we eat, drink and because of contraceptive means.

How can I find men more attractive because of ovulation when in fact I do not ovulate? The sense of smell is affected by the pill as well. The kind of guy who smells good while I’m on the pill may stink once I get off of it. So since the 1970s’ sexual revolution everything has changed for many of us and all those theories are just that, theories. At least I think so.

Supposedly women tend to change their “type” depending on what time of the month it is. So while they may find the more manly kind of guy attractive with the dominant chin, the deep voice and chest hair (yea, I’m going there…yuck) on their “fertile” days they will be drawn to the softer looking, more nurturing guy during the rest of the month. So much for attraction based on genetics.

So, to answer the questions you posed:

Nope, I do not think there is a genetic predisposition to who I find attractive.

Yes, smell is important but I do not think there is a pattern to how the men I have dated smell.

Evolution and genetics do not play a role in monogamy. In my opinion, it’s sociatal construct which was deemed appropriate by the ones in power.

Back when I was still ovulating I absolutely did not feel sexier. Au contraire, once the hormones kicked in my skin used to break out every month and I was looking like a mess. So errrr, nope.

While I acknowledge the effect some genes may have had on who I am and how I am, I am a strong believer in socialization and the impact it has on me.

At first I was opposed to the idea of being genetically predisposed to who you find attractive. Then I thought about the idea of having a soul mate or that someone has someone out there for them. If everyone has a soul mate, then I’ll say they’re genetically predisposed to find their soul mate attractive. However, science doesn’t and can’t explain everything. Genetics, biology, environment and experiences all combine to make us who we are as people, including who we find attractive. Our parents are usually are first experience with the opposite and same sex. We, as people, can either approve or disapprove of the actions, or perceived actions, of our parents — the probability variables of our acceptance or rejection, I believe, is found our genes. At the end of the day, genetics predispose our probability to respond to our environment and experiences in a certain way: a person with low levels of the “love hormone” can’t be marked as a cheater until he or she cheats — which might never occur.

@ Elle

4-5 years? Don’t we “super intelligent” humans need like 18 years of development to be self sufficient? I can see maybe 14/15, but at 4-5 a human child couldn’t fend for itself like a bear cub etc could at the same age. We’re way more dependent on our parents beyond society’s educational system. I mean if we were still hunters and gathers I couldn’t see a 4-5 year old fending for itself. I hear you on the other stuff, though, about society and culture building ideas of marriage and monogamy.

Did you peep the vid clips? Because what you said about women changing their type of man depending on time of month was in one of the segments and said because of that women might actually be the ones more likely to cheat.

I was just telling my girls that I was a nerd, cause I watched the same thing. It was actually on saturday night if im not mistaken. I have always had a thing for the smell of a mans armpit and I always wondered why until I saw the show. My man was like you always have your nose on me, by the time he notices that I was smelling im preparing to mount him cause I have driven myself crazy, just taking his scent in.

The 3-D break down of intercourse was so cool, and I actually learned alot. I’ve been having sex since I was 14 but never really knew the whys and hows. I was just doing what felt good.

I always knew that the brain was the largest sex organ, but I did not know that the smaller and softer the penis, the larger it becomes.

Basically knowing the scientifics of sex has really opened my eyes to alot of things. Im just glad to know that I was not the only one to watch it.

I believe that attraction is largely based on environment. Ex: I am an African American male….Grew Up in Washington Heights, and the features I find attractive/the ones that drive me wild are those of Latin women. On the flip side….My cousin (AA as well) who grew up in a predominately Caucasian neighborhood doesnt see things that way. Our environments and what we were raised to think is “hot/sexy” is the reason we are this way, not because we’re genetically programmed a particular way.

As far as ladies feeling sexier during ovulation, i think its more they get hornier and as a result they lose the inhibition that usually accompanies their “flaws”.

Yeah, the environment etc all plays a role but if you peep the whole doc or the clips above, beyond all that what it was saying was that there a genetic factors as well. Like someone’s smell, their body movement, etc. that might make them even more desirable to you. Guess that “love at first sight” factor.

Beyond that there are a bunch of other interesting findings in the 2-hours of the show

@NWSO

Oh, I didn’t mean to imply that 4 or 5 year old kids are self-reliant. But for example crib death isn’t likely to occur after the first few months, the immune system requires a few years to develop and so on. Also, and this is my own little theory, when a child was 5 years old a mother was able to go out and ensure her and her child’s survival while somebody who we would call nanny nowadays could care for the baby. Breastfeeding wasn’t necessary anymore and the mother had gained back her independence – so to speak. Again, this is my own explanation for the 4-5 year frame.

But here is a quote which references to other sources and explains what I mean much better than I can:

Romantic love typically lasts for a relatively short time (Sternberg & Weis), and attachment lasts through the period of child-rearing (Sternberg & Weis, p. 104). Worldwide divorce rates peak 4 years after marriage, approximately the inter-birth period, suggesting divorces exhibit the remains of an ancestral strategy for couples to remain together for the rearing of one child (Fisher, 1992, cited in Sternberg & Weis, p. 104). Data from a 2004 survey by the US census office show that the fraction of children living with both of their parents together declines from 73% for children less than 5 years old to 60% for children 5 to 14, to 52% for children 15 to 17. In other words, by the time children in the US reach age 15, half the couples that produced them have dissolved.

Source: http://alexbacker.pbwiki.com/The-Paradox-of-Monogamy

I haven’t peeped the videos. But I remember watching a BBC special on the exact same subject. Like you, I found the show super interesting and the things I learned kind of sticked to my mind.

Yeah, we (women) are bad … always ready to cheat to get the best genes for procreational purposes.

I remember them saying we as humans store our own thoughts on what’s sexy and appealing. I forgot what the part of the brain is called. I told myself I would watch it everytime it came on, because I am sure that I missed some imperative information. I think everyone should watch it.

Do I think that we have a genetic disposition to be attracted to other people, for sure. We are drawn to a certain type of physical features and attributes when we (women) when we are ovulating.
You know there have been more than a few times when I’ve been told that they loved my smell and I only shower! lol omg that was some passion! Its my scent it the hotness for them.

I never thought too much about evolutions part in monogamous relationships but yeah it plays a big role but so does nature too. It plays a part in everything but evolution and nature are always going to affect each other too an extent. They just work together.

I don’t know what to think about a love hormone but there probably a few? Oh the dating in your league was so on point but since someone 10 can be another person 3 it kind of hard to prove to the next person . I thought the 3 was rated a little low. Most of the time I notice that people usually settle up with some one with similar attractiveness to them self.

Did I say “sticked”? I mean “stuck” to my mind.

Oh and if I remember it correctly, the whole scent issue is all about being genetically compatible to create healthy offspring. Right? Immunesystems of possible partners have to be as opposite from each other as possible to avoid genetic defects.

I think ….

@ Elle

That was the part about avoiding incest and making deformed kids. Think that’s in the sexy scents link above.

NOTE: There’s YouTube clips from the show in the post, I couldn’t embed them so you just have to click the ones you want to see and catch the full show when it repeats.

I really like this post! I’m on a conference call now and ready to put them on mute and watch the segments. lol.

I love watching National Geographic all day everyday as well.

But the armpit sniffing? (some things you need to keep to yourself man. But since you put it out there I want to know more details. Are these clean armpits? Is it the deodorant you like? Is this a sneak sniff or does the female know what is going on?

Again, thanks for the post!

@Nikki J

Lol, no, it’s just a regular ol, after sex/sleep arm pit. If you’re attracted to the person’s scent it’s them you want to smell not the chemicals that came from a bottle. Although those are nice too, we’re talking about natural scents of attraction, which is different than funk. But I guess one person’s B.O. is another’s au de toilette. LOL

I’m with Elle on this one, I don’t think I believe the whole science thing, other than the fact that I was always at the brink of failing it in highschool it just seems to me that breaking it down to a science trivialises things and makes it way too technical.

I tend to think stuff like whether one is monogomous is more a cultural thing as well as the background they come from, not to mention the pressure society places on some. Where I am from men have decreased the practise of marrying a whole host of women, I do not think that it has anything to do with some gene suddenly disappearing from their genetic make-up but more the fact that society has taken on a different view on polygamy which means that men have had to take a different view of it as well. So I just can’t agree on that being a gene thing…

However if there is a love hormone someone needs to bottle that up and package it, I will have two of those please! Bathe in it all day…

@July

The monogamy theory isn’t about genes but hormones in the brain. Basically what you just asked to bathe in.

The only thing (I remember) dealing with genetics was the automatic predisposition to not want to mate with relatives because it’ll make messed up kids. That’s tied into sense of smell, which goes back to the hormones and pheromones people have/secrete.

As for marriage etc, that whole practice is definitely a man-made societal concept and has nothing to do with nature. That goes into cultural and societal belief systems etc, which only exist in us “conscious” humans

“Yeah, we (women) are bad … always ready to cheat to get the best genes for procreational purposes”.-Wow now tat’s wat i call “a real woman’s thought revealed”!Sista whoever u are i don’t know if u are aware of the fact there is somebody called god out there,if u fear not the man who u have cheated atleast fear god because u can swindle a mere man to think u have done nothing wrong,but the all present alpha omega,sees the heart of a human not his outer appearance,i wouldn’t be surprised to know if god would have seen only outer beauty how many people would have stood in line to seduce him to be forgiven!!!!

“It takes a minute to lose the character of god in us,but think once how difficult it is to remain pure,for the ways of god are not for the brave in muscle or the handsomest of men or the most pretty among women,but for those who are in trying times starving,thirsting and being homeless yet donot lose trust in their purity,for their eyes see a greater glory that no sinful human heart can see,the conscious of those who are pure is perfect,they donot fear death because they know they did no wrong,I donot pray for those who have all the luxurious things in life and even though they have enough and more than they want,they lust for more,but for those that are denied justice in courts,stolen of their little belongings and even starving for a piece of bread!
Im happy for these innocent ones,for even in the face of death they live the life of purity!:-)”

“As an added bonus, there’s a theory that women—one of the only species that can have intercourse year round—evolved that way as a means to keep men around.”

False! What about when they on the red flag?

@ Diffnames

1) It’s just a theory (not mine). I’m just recounting what they said. lol

2) the “red flag” lasts approximately like 4-7 days (I dunno). And comes ones a month so that works out to 12 weeks (roughly) out of 52 that a human female can’t have sex (if she wants to of course) leaving a full 40 weeks of potential fornicating.

Now, most species of animals only are in heat a couple weeks the entire year and just one particular season (I could be wrong, biology wasn’t my thing). At any rate 40 weeks > a few weeks. So barring a few days in between cycles human feels can have sex year round if they so choose. We don’t have a specific mating season.

Still false? Rebuttal?

I’m just saying…

Errrrrr …. Joe …. are you trying to save my soul? While I appreciate the effort – and honestly I don’t mean to sound offensive – but save yourself the time.

I am not about to elaborate on who or what I believe or do not believe in.

However, the sentence you quoted was a joke … a sarcastic remark if you will. It’s not that serious, you know.

Ok, I think I’ll have to go back to the deal breaker thread and add something to my list.

*smh*

@Diffnames

And that not counting the people who sex during the cycle!*yuck* LOL

@Elle

I didnt understand what Joe comment had to do with anything about this blog!

@da Throne

He took one of my remarks I meant jokingly and ran with it … to church.

Now the second post …. dont ask me what it had to do with the blog.

@ da Throne
I thought I was trippin because I couldn’t figure out that comment either, lol…made my head hurt.

Very interesting Ans — you went genome on us!

I THOROUGHLY enjoy finding out information as this just for useless trivia’s sake. Maybe I can conquer jeopardy one day

This was a GREAT post!
I must reply 2the question about the attraction to a particular lover’s scent…
I’ve been thru that SO many times that i found it weird myself! Haha
It’s just that, i find some males’ natural scents more attractive that some others’…
Actually, a few of them drive me crazy, it’s insane how nature works! Have u ever felt u wanted smone only by smelling them? Lol
I love this info, i’m bout 2go watch the vids now
Thank u!

I THOROUGHLY enjoy finding out information as this just for useless trivia’s sake. Maybe I can conquer jeopardy one day