Attraction is a vital part of any relationship, and it’s something that you need to have in order to have love and stay in a committed relationship. There are various types of attraction, and finding someone who matches your needs is not always easy.
Throughout your life, there will be various kinds of relationships. People that you meet and feel something about will cause you to have different types of attraction.
Understanding what you are feeling can help you develop a stronger connection with the person that you are interested in. It’s also important to remember that attraction is a complex concept.
Why love can’t survive with only physical attraction
Some individuals who get married based on their looks are also known to have a shallow mindset. While you’re thinking about these individuals, keep in mind that the very first thing that you’re usually looking for in a partner is their looks.
If you’re only attracted to someone’s physical appearance, then love will not last long-term. The physical appearance of the person you’re interested in will diminish as you get older, which is why the bond forged through physical attraction will never last.
When you feel a strong emotional connection with someone, and you completely fall in love, you will not care about their looks. Instead, you will focus on their well-being, happiness, and their future with you.
The idea of focusing solely on one’s physical appearance is nothing short of shallow. Building a lasting relationship with someone based on looks is impossible, as it is a shallow and superficial type of relationship.
The different types of attraction
Attraction and how it relates to love are incredibly complicated. There are many factors that go into finding someone special.
In this article, we’ll talk about the various types of attraction, their capabilities for love, and how they can make you feel.
1. Aesthetic attraction
We all have crushes on certain celebrities. If you were given the chance, you would probably want to have sex with these individuals, but most likely, you would only be interested in them because of their physical appearance. This isn’t related to romantic or sexual attraction.
For a few months, you’ve been eyeing the coffee girl in the local cafe. After months of viewing her, you believe she’s one of the most beautiful individuals you’ve ever seen. You can’t stop staring at her. That’s aesthetic attraction.
2. Platonic attraction
The term “friend zone” is typically used to describe a situation in which a person genuinely doesn’t want to commit to you. This usually occurs when the individual is either scared of committing or they’re simply not interested in being with you.
A type of attraction known as platonic is one that seeks a relationship with an individual who is not sexually active. This can be challenging because, while you may like somebody, they may only see you as a friend.
3. Emotional attraction
One of the most important types of attraction is this one, as without it, you won’t have much of a reason to like a person. As we go into more intense and common types of attraction, we’ll be focusing on the psychology of attraction.
An emotional attraction is deep and all-encompassing. It’s the type of attraction that you feel when you’re not interested in anything else but the person being happy. You want to be their cheerleader.
This is the type of attraction that most people find appealing, and it is regarded as the most important type of love.
Here are the signs of emotional attraction.
- You like the way they think: An emotional attraction is formed when you find yourself emotionally attached to a person due to how their mind works or how they think about certain situations and life. You find yourself wanting to take in everything they say, and you’re craving their attention.
- You care about their values too: Having similar values is an emotional connection, as it allows you to relate to them in a deeper way than what they appear to be. Having these values makes you feel closer to someone than anything else.
- You feel connected while speaking about your interests: An emotional attraction would develop if you become more acquainted with a person, and your feelings for them continue to grow.
- You care about their happiness: According to the psychology of attraction, if you want somebody else to be happy, then you’re likely to find yourself drawn to them emotionally. They should be in a positive mindset and feel good.
This type of attraction is present whenever you desire their emotions to be high or when they are distressed.
4. Physical attraction
Although you may believe that this isn’t important, in many ways, it is. It can pull you towards someone, though it won’t provide you with lasting love.
In most cases, you will never fall in love with someone if you do not have physical attraction. Nevertheless, here are the signs that you’re physically attracted to someone.
- You think they look good: If you notice a person who appears to be very attractive, then it’s a sign that you have a physical attraction. Even if you don’t know them very well, your mind will still be drawn to their appearance.
- You feel turned on while thinking about them, or when you’re near them: The feeling of being sexually aroused towards someone is a sign of physical attraction. This is especially true if you are not very acquainted with the person.
- You want to kiss them, and more: Physical attraction is similar to being sexually aroused towards someone. If you see somebody from across the club, and you immediately think about what they’re like in bed, then you have a physical attraction.
5. Intellectual attraction
Although intellectual attraction is different from emotional attraction, the psychology behind it is still quite different.
An intellectual attraction is similar to being sexually aroused towards someone. It allows you to listen to their opinions and thoughts, and it doesn’t make you feel bored. Having long conversations with people about various subjects can fill you with pleasure.
Although intellectual attraction can also be associated with emotional attraction, it’s not always possible to find yourself drawn to both. Here are some signs.
- You love how smart they are: An intellectual attraction is different from emotional attraction. It’s a type of attraction that occurs when you are attracted to individuals who are highly intelligent.
- Their theories and opinions are captivating to you: You are drawn to intellectuals because their knowledge is captivating. They can talk about various topics for hours and keep you engaged.
- Their intelligence makes you like them even more: If you are attracted to people who are intelligent, then intellectual attraction will become a part of your personality.
This is a type of attraction that may seem difficult to notice immediately, but it will become a part of your identity once you like people who are smart.
6. Sensual attraction
This isn’t the same as sexual attraction. This is caused by the desire to touch someone in a sensual manner, such as touching their skin or giving them a cuddle.
The tactile touch of someone close to you can make you feel like you are floating on a cloud.
- You want to be close to them physically: This isn’t a sexual preference, but it can be considered sensual when you merely want to be close to somebody. Even if you are not on top of one another, you still feel satisfied with being close to them.
- You want to cuddle with them: You are drawn to the tactile touch of someone close to you as it makes you feel their love and comfort. This is a type of attraction that occurs when you are craving their hugs.
- You want to spend the night wrapped in their embrace: It’s not about being fully naked in bed. Instead, it’s about being close to them and sleeping beside them.
It’s like being drawn to someone sensually because it involves being able to wrap one’s arms around them.
Why does all of this matter when identifying whether you’re in love?
There are various types of attraction toward people. For instance, you may find yourself drawn to an individual who is intellectually interesting due to their ideas.
You may be convinced that you are not attracted to them if you ask yourself this question carefully.
We tend to mistakenly believe that love is something else when it’s actually happening. To truly fall in love, you need to have four types of attraction: physical, intellectual, emotional, and sensual.
Even though you may feel more of one kind of attraction than another, it’s still there. For instance, your physical attraction may be influenced by external factors such as your mood, stress levels, and other factors outside of your relationship. It can also fluctuate.
Understanding the various types of attraction will enable you to identify whether or not you are in love. When it comes to genuine love, which type of attraction is more important? You need all of them to fall in love.