The 9 Types of Psychological Attraction: Beyond Physical Attraction

Physical attraction is the most common and understood type of attraction. Image Courtesy: AI-generated for representational purpose

Amit found himself looking towards the new female player in the mixed football team quite often. She had charisma, oodles of it. Everyone looked at her with interest. Not only was she a brilliant player, but she also had a positive vibe about her. Amit wished he could have a romantic relationship with her.  

The 9 Types of Attraction: What is your type? 

Not all attractions we feel are physical or sexual. Psychologists mention that there are at least 9 distinct kinds of attractions that humans experience. We choose friends and life partners based on these attractions.  

  1. Physical Attraction: The most common attraction that people experience is physical attraction. Physical attraction is all about being drawn to someone’s appearance. It is that initial spark you feel when you find someone visually appealing. This type of attraction can be influenced by various factors, such as facial features, body shape, and even how someone carries themselves. While physical attraction is often the first thing people notice, it is just one aspect of how we are drawn to others. This is the predominant or primary attraction felt when using a relationship app like Rematch.  
  1. Social Attraction: Social attraction is about enjoying someone’s company and being drawn to their social status or personality. It is the kind of attraction that makes you want to hang out with someone because they’re fun, interesting, or have a certain charm. This type of attraction can be influenced by factors like shared interests, sense of humour, and the way someone interacts with others. It is not just about looks or romantic feelings. It is about genuinely liking someone for who they are and enjoying their presence in social settings. 
  1. Aesthetic Attraction: Aesthetic attraction is all about appreciating someone’s appearance or style without necessarily feeling any romantic or sexual interest. It is like admiring a beautiful painting or a stunning piece of architecture. You might find someone visually pleasing or enjoy their fashion sense, but it does not mean you want to date them or have a deeper connection. It is simply an appreciation of their looks or the way they present themselves. 
  1. Task Attraction: Task attraction is when you’re drawn to someone because of their abilities, skills, or work ethic. It is the kind of attraction you might feel towards a coworker who is exceptionally good at their job or a classmate who always nails their presentations. This isn’t about physical or romantic attraction; it is about appreciating someone’s competence and wanting to work with them because of it. Reputed psychologists, such as McCroskey and McCain, have explored this concept. They developed the Interpersonal Attraction Scale in 1974, which includes task attraction as one of its dimensions.  
  1. Sexual Attraction: Sexual attraction is the feeling of being drawn to someone in a way that makes you desire sexual contact with them. It is that spark or chemistry you feel when you find someone sexually appealing. This type of attraction can be influenced by various factors, including physical appearance, pheromones, and how someone moves or speaks. It is a natural and instinctive response that plays a significant role in human relationships and reproduction. While sexual attraction is often linked to physical attraction, it can also be influenced by emotional and mental connections. 
  1. Romantic Attraction: Romantic attraction is the desire to form a romantic relationship with someone. It is the feeling that makes you want to date someone, share intimate moments, and build a life together. This type of attraction often involves a mix of emotional, physical, and sometimes sexual attraction. It is about wanting to be close to someone in a way that goes beyond friendship. 
  1. Emotional Attraction: Emotional attraction is about being drawn to someone’s mind and spirit. It is the connection you feel when you share similar values, interests, and beliefs. Emotional attraction can exist in both romantic and platonic relationships. It is about feeling understood and appreciated on a deeper level and it does not necessarily involve any romantic or sexual feelings. While romantic attraction includes a desire for a romantic relationship and often involves multiple types of attraction, emotional attraction is focused on a deep, meaningful connection that can exist in any relationship, including familial and platonic as mentioned. 
  1. Mental Attraction: Mental attraction is all about being drawn to someone’s intellect and personality. It is the kind of attraction you feel when you enjoy deep conversations with someone, admire their thoughts and ideas, and appreciate their sense of humour or worldview. This type of attraction is about connecting on a cognitive level and finding someone’s mind engaging and stimulating. This is the kind of attraction you feel once you move deeper into the relationship funnel that Rematch offers, or when you chat online with someone on a dating app for a while. So, does mental attraction sound a bit like task attraction? While mental attraction is about being drawn to someone’s intellect and personality, task attraction is about being impressed by someone’s skills and abilities. Both types of attraction can coexist, but they focus on different aspects of a person’s qualities. 
  1. Intellectual Attraction: Intellectual attraction is all about being drawn to someone’s mind and the way they think. It is that feeling you get when you find someone’s ideas, opinions, and thought processes fascinating. You might enjoy having deep, stimulating conversations with them, discussing various topics, and exploring new perspectives together. This type of attraction often leads to a strong mental connection, where you appreciate their intellect and enjoy learning from them. Mental attraction and intellectual attraction are closely related but have some distinct differences. Mental attraction is about being drawn to someone’s overall mind and personality. It is the connection you feel when you enjoy their company, appreciate their sense of humour, and find their worldview engaging. 

The Rematch Relationship Funnel

Amit’s feelings for his teammate are a mix of romantic, task, and sexual interest. It may lead to a romantic relationship only if the female player also feels the same kind of attraction towards him.

When we use any dating app or a relationship app like Rematch, it is the photographs that capture our initial interest. This is the physical attraction or aesthetic attraction stage. Once we move on to chat with the other person, we move to other types of attraction. In real life, we suggest using the various stages of the relationship funnel, offered by the Rematch app, to move from the initial physical attraction stage for a lasting romantic relationship. To read more about the relationship funnel read our blog on the same here.

Why don’t you join the Rematch app today to explore and experience something profound, beyond physical attraction, for a lasting relationship? 

Reference

Attraction: How It Works and Its Types. WebMD. [Accessed January 6, 2025]. https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/what-types-attraction.

Teena A

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