The Culturally High Emotional Expressiveness of Love

The studies presented in this article show that high levels of emotional expressiveness have become culturally normative forms of self-expression in modern societies. Multiple studies throughout the decades have reported numerous cross-cultural findings on how physical types of appearance, such … Continue reading

The Culturally Low-Expressed Emotion of Love

This article presents the findings of multiple studies on how low levels of expressed emotion are culturally typical for people in traditional collectivistic societies. Other articles on this website have presented an abundance of cross-cultural findings on the physical traits—face, … Continue reading

Cultural Beauty and Body Modification

Obsession with physical appearance and body beautification has become extremely popular among many people in many cultural groups across the world. In some societies, people are more obsessed with their physical beauty than in others. Even though women traditionally care … Continue reading

Western Beauty Standards in Cross-Cultural Perspectives

Do modern people place the same value on the physical attractiveness of prospective partners as previous generations? Do they look at and value their beauty the same way as in the past? In Western European and North American media, modern … Continue reading

How Social Propinquity Leads to Love

The article explains how social propinquity and residential proximity affect our interpersonal relationships, love, and marriage. Men and women tend to like those with whom they get together frequently. In social science, this is called the “propinquity effect.” They have … Continue reading

You Fall in Love with Someone Genetically Similar to You

This article explains the surprising findings of studies which show that you are more likely to fall in love with someone who has genetic similarities to you. The Irresistible Attraction of Genetic Similarity What is more attractive to a loving … Continue reading

We Love Those Who Are Similar to Us

“Similarity psychology” and positive assortative mating play an important role in love relationships. We like others who are not only beautiful but also similar to ourselves. It seems natural to like and love those who are beautiful. Men and women … Continue reading

The Types of Beautiful Skin Colors in Different Cultures

Visual, tactile, and olfactory perceptions of skin play important roles in love attraction. They are among the favorite sensory features that are attractive to lovers. For example, studies have revealed that clear, smooth, and soft skin of a nice color, … Continue reading

Attractive Body Types in Different Cultures

Face and body qualities are the most important physical features that people look for in a potential partner. In a previous article, I talked about the facial characteristics that men and women in different cultures find attractive in other people. … Continue reading