What Is Imprinting?

Generally, imprinting (linguistically, it is a derivative of “printing”) means marking or impressing a sign or mark on the surface of anything. Imprinting in Ethology In ethology, the science of animal behavior, imprinting stands for a sensitive period, usually very … Continue reading

The “Mere Exposure Effect” and Love Attraction

Familiarity and similarity are powerful forces in our love attraction that can be influenced by genetic predisposition, imprinting, or by the “mere exposure effect.” They all have the same psychological mechanism of prototypicality. Despite our interest in novelty, we are … Continue reading

Sexual Imprinting of Attraction and Love

The mechanism of imprinting plays an important role in shaping our sexual attraction and love preferences. I explain what “imprinting” is elsewhere. Early works by Konrad Lorenz (Lorenz, 1935) demonstrated that the early experiences of birds and animals could affect … Continue reading

Imprinting of Love Attachment

We tend to perceive people who look familiar to us as more attractive than those who look unfamiliar. This is the familiarity principle that also guides our mating, sexual preferences, and love. The phenomenon of imprinting is at the root … Continue reading