http://mindhacks.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/ Neuroscience and psychology tricks to find out what's going on inside your brain. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:27:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4698 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:15:47 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4698 Evolutionary explanations are pretty fun to devise. Here’s one that explains these results:
The organism has made it far enough to sexual maturity, so obviously it’s doing something right. Picking a mate similar looking to oneself is a good objective. Similarity can be determined at a glance.
On the other hand, genetic diversity is also successful strategy. So picking someone not related is an objective. This can only be determined if the person has higher-level knowledge of the familial relationship.
The balance of the two competing objectives finds its resolution in picking someone outside the family who looks like they are in the family.

]]> http://mindhacks.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4697 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:49:33 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4697 Great post, though I do agree with Michael D.
The definition of a Freudian slip, of course, is when you say one thing and mean a mother.

]]> http://mindhacks.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4696 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:44:16 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/attraction-runs-in-the-family/#comment-4696 An important assumption in the interpretation is that participants know how to separate their feelings of sexual attraction from those of familiarity or general positivity, and I’m not sure I buy it.

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