I was very excited today to see that researchers had found further proof that exercising can stimulate the growth of new brain cells in rats, as well as make them happier. This is great, because any day now, I’m going to get to the gym! So, knowing that I can make myself brainier as well as happier and skinnier is just, err… icing on the cake (so to speak).
If finding love on the internet has changed forever the way our society meets, dates and marries, there is still one thing it hasn’t changed: The importance (and horror) of…. the First Date!
A mating preference for individuals that resemble your parents is called “sexual imprinting.” Such preferences have been studied in animals for many years, and recently in humans.
Okay guys, at the risk of being called sexist this one’s for you. If you are tired of hearing “Oh, I thought we were just friends.” after the third date, I may be able to help.
It generally goes without saying that there are a lot of differences between what men and women want. Thus, since sexual attraction is generally generated across this divide, there are a lot differences between what men and women find sexually attractive. Most of these differences are based on sexual stereotypes, both biological and cultural.
It’s always a little bit alarming when a journalist pulls an article from a relatively obscure journal and announces a “scientific fact” that seems contrary to established wisdom. This is all the more true for me when the science and wisdom in question are part of my major field of study.
Much of science is fairly esoteric. For example, I don’t know how many people read (or would care to read) Glycine and other neurotransmitter amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid in perinatal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy[1]. In my view, the primary cause for this disconnect between science and the “real world,” contrary to popular belief, isn’t the choice of words being used (seriously, that article title is about as simple as it can get). Rather, it is because scientists are a notoriously specialized and specializing bunch.
I’ve noticed a trend in evolutionary psychology to attribute motivations and behaviors in modern humans to our evolutionary prequels. According to some, my wife probably chose me based on my dominant genetic traits and physical symmetry which indicated my potential to breed strong babies. It goes without saying that I smelled good.
I think I speak for most everyone when I say that statistics can be annoying. For the person reading the statistics, this is usually because they can be confusing or misleading. However, for the person or agency responsible for generating the statistics, they can often be just as annoying because they just won’t say what you want them to say.
Despite their geeky image (or perhaps because of it?) scientists have been devoting an increasing amount of attention to what makes Person A more attractive than Person B. Some things we’ve known for a long time. Propinquity (science lingo for “being nearby”), youth and health have long been viewed as important elements of physical attraction, as has physical symmetry. However, little has been offered that would seem to help the “dater in need of assistance.” What can you do to make yourself more attractive tonight?
Mere moments spent searching with the words “chocolate” and “sex” on the internet generates numerous references to the aphrodisiac power of chocolate…or women’s preference for chocolate over sex. The latter might be seen as an aphrodisiacal canard. Does it prove that chocolate is sexy if women prefer it to actually having sex?
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