The 7 types of attraction that exist (between people)

Attraction can be understood as a concept of physics.

However, it also extends to the field of interpersonal relationships and psychology. Thus, the attraction between people is a concept of social psychology, which tries to study it in all its aspects.

In this article we will know the 7 types of attraction that exist (between people). We will know its definition, its characteristics and its manifestations. In addition, we will explain what interpersonal attraction consists of within social psychology.

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What is interpersonal attraction?

Interpersonal attraction is considered a type of force that comes from other people towards us; In other words, it is a desire that others awaken in us, and that makes us want to meet those people, get close to them, talk, and even have sex (in the case of attraction sexual).

However, there are different types of attraction between people, depending on the type of desire that appears and the relationship we have with that person.

Each type of attraction has its defining characteristics and specific manifestations.

In other words, attraction is a social phenomenon that arouses our interest and that prompts us to carry out actions such as: getting closer to others, starting conversations, flirting, flirting, etc. We tend to be attracted to people who, for one reason or another (intellect, physique, personality ...) like us or make us feel good.

This phenomenon has a lot to do with love, friendship or sexuality, as we will see throughout the article.

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The 7 types of attraction that exist

We have already explained, roughly, what is the attraction between people. It is something that, in a way, connects us to them; it is a kind of force that makes us want someone, or feel curious about that person; for getting closer, talking to her, getting to know her more, etc.

The attraction can appear before strangers, before friends, before lovers, before couples, before relatives, etc., depending on the type of attraction in question.

We are going to see the 7 types of attraction that exist (between people).

1. Romantic attraction

The first of the types of attraction that we are going to explain is the romantic attraction. It is a type of attraction that has nothing to do with sexuality itself; That is, it is not about sexual attraction to someone, but rather the desire to maintain a romantic relationship with that person. Thus, it is a more emotional, deeper type of attraction.

This type of attraction can appear when, for example, we maintain a very good friendship with a person and suddenly we feel the desire to start a romantic relationship (as a couple) with that person, because we feel something deeper, a different feeling than friendship (love).

Love is based on romantic attraction, although it is also nourished by other types of attraction between people, which we will see below.

2. Physical / sexual attraction

Physical or sexual attraction is the first one we usually think of when they talk about attraction. It is a more "carnal" attraction, of desire for the other person in its most physical and sexual sense. This type of attraction, in turn, can be of two types: subjective and objective physical or sexual attraction.

2.1. Subjective physical / sexual attraction

It is about the attraction to someone we like physically, the desire to want to have sex with that person. This type of attraction to a certain person can change over time, depending on the relationship we have with them.

Even so, we can be sexually attracted to both known people (friends, partner ...) and strangers (people we see on the street for the first time, for example). The intensity of this attraction will vary from case to case; Furthermore, if we feed that desire with sexual fantasies, the attraction tends to increase.

2.2. Objective physical / sexual attraction

When we speak of objective physical or sexual attraction, it means that we think that a person we know is physically attractive; for example, it is to think that someone is very handsome, but without the need to imagine "nothing" or to want to have sexual relations with that person (as in the previous case).

This usually happens with friends and friends of all life, from childhood; that we are not physically attracted to them, but that we do think that they are very handsome.

3. Friendship attraction

The third of the types of attraction is friendship. In this case we are talking about the desire to share moments with a person whom we consider to be a friend. We feel an attraction towards that friendship, because that person or relationship brings us personal well-being and satisfaction.

Thus, this type of attraction is far from sexual or romantic, and has more to do with enjoying a lot with a person and wanting to repeat it.

In this way, the attraction of friendship is felt by our friends. Normally it occurs in a "pure" way, without other types of added attraction (such as sexual attraction), with people of the same sex as us and in the case that we are heterosexual.

4. Sentimental attraction

Sentimental attraction is similar to romantic attraction, because it is related to feelings, although in this case the feelings do not have to be romantic or loving. Thus, sentimental attraction implies that another person awakens intense feelings, although not enough to want to start a sentimental relationship with them.

In a way, this type of attraction is like the romantic but less intense. It can also be said that it awakens slightly different feelings, such as admiration, pride, etc. towards the other or the other.

5. Sensual or sensory attraction

Sensual or sensory attraction has to do with contact, caresses, hugs, "pampering", the closeness... That is, they are the desire to experiment with the senses in relation to another person.

We feel it when someone we like or attract our attention and we want to get closer to him or her, feel him / her close, etc. It also appears with people we already know for whom we feel some affection or appreciation.

6. Intellectual attraction

The next of the types of attraction is intellectual attraction.. It has to do with the desire to meet someone on the most intellectual side of it; that is, when we think that a person is very interesting, intelligent, that they can teach us or contribute many things, that they have a lot of culture, etc.

Intellectual attraction often leads to sexual attraction. Also, this type of attraction is mixed with feelings of respect, admiration and pride towards someone.

Bibliographic references

• Mondragón-Lasagabaster, J. (2011). Social psychology. Topic 6: Interpersonal relationships: attraction and love.

• Morales, J.F. (1999). Social psychology. Ed. McGraw-Hill. Madrid.

• Morales, J.F. (2007). Social psychology. Publisher: S.A. McGraw-Hill / Interamericana from Spain.