Being ugly has its attractions too

There is a distinctly unfashionable side of seduction - the attraction to people who, for want of a kinder phrase, are ugly. Not everyone is blessed with the looks to turn heads, but very few people are sidelined to a life of celibacy.

The good news is that you don’t have to be blessed with the standard genetics of good looks to be deemed attractive. Scientists from the University of New South Wales in Sydney found that ‘ugly individuals can sometimes do better than good-looking ones.’ The individuals they were studying were female guppies who usually choose males with bright orange spots and large tails. However, a small proportion of the females under test preferred males with black markings.

This choice is surprising as male offspring from males with the desired traits would in turn be more attractive to females. So these alternative females are gambling that extra variety in their offspring genes will produce healthier and more successful offspring themselves.

Humans value diversity too. It has long been established that women are attracted to the genetic smell of men that have different immune systems to themselves. A specific cluster of immune system genes has an influence on the particular body odour of an individual, so it could be a case of love at first smell, with looks coming second. However, matters become complicated if a woman uses oral contraception as this changes her particular body odour, making her to men with a different smell to her new odour. She may find that she doesn’t fancy her husband when she comes of the pill to try for a baby!

Whilst our noses seek diversity, our eyes are programmed to appreciate beauty. In a study on perceived attractiveness, babies ranging from 3 to 6 months old spent more time staring at photos of faces that were described as more attractive by adults. This result was regardless of race, gender or age. Beauty can also equal fertility as shown by a study where men where asked to rate which silhouettes of women they found the most sexually attractive. The men consistently chose figures with hour-glass shapes, even above the slim figure that most women strive to achieve. Amazingly, scientists have shown that women with a sharp contrast between waist and hips have a higher reproductive productivity.

So if we can choose the best genetic partners by smell and sight alone why do we bother talking to them? Happily although we may prefer a specific physique or look, we are not restricted by them. We choose a long term partner on the basis of compatibility of personalities so if you are admiring someone from a far, go up and have a chat. Your intended may follow the same logic as the alternative female guppies. Just remember to get close to give your BO a chance to back up your personality!