6 Psychological Things That Make You Less Attractive

So what do you like in a person?

Many of us would initially respond with things like someone tall

or having blue eyes.

Well, what about those times you look at people you’ve liked

in the past and thought to yourself, “but they don’t all look alike”?

Or you’ve encountered someone who seems to be your ideal

in every single way on paper,

but you meet them and wonder, “Who are you?”

The answer to that mystery is that attraction is based on three things:

you consider them approachable,

believe in positive factoids about them, and if they make you feel good.

If the trifecta is incomplete, this could lead to not being attracted

to the person no matter how Hollywood that smile is.

Here are six psychological things that make you less attractive.

1. Being Sleep Deprived

No matter how much caffeine you swallow,

sleep deprivation takes a toll on everything.

This could ruin the first impression meeting with someone.

When you first meet someone, you have a limited amount

of information to decide your next steps:

should you get closer or should you back away slowly?

As humans,

we rely on sight initially to give us that quick initial assessment.

So if you show up looking like a haggard potato,

your selfie or Instagram buddy potential isn’t the only thing

that’s less than stellar.

Other attraction factors like the appearance of health

and trustworthiness also take a hit.

2. Body Smell

Bad body odor is one thing, and there are plenty of products

and methods to avoid it, but have you ever thought about

a similar body odor?

This goes deep and comes from your DNA.

We have something called a major histocompatibility complex (MHC).

They’re a group of genes that do coding to help

out the immune system, and they influence body odor.

So bathing yourself in cologne doesn’t change anything.

Studies have found that women were more attracted

to men with dissimilar MHCs to their own.

This is hypothesized to encourage gene variability,

thus a stronger immune system.

3. Excessive Focus on Appearance

We’re all into looking good and feeling good.

You do you and love yourself for it, just don’t let it go overboard.

Sure, initial encounters are strongly influenced

by physical attractiveness, but that’s fleeting.

No matter how much of a hottie they appear to be,

if all they care about is their self-image, that becomes a repulsive factor.

It’s true that in the end, we need substance.

And if all we’re getting is air, we’re out.

4. Not Being Humble

When you get a win, do you crow that it was all you,

that you’re just legendary and single-handedly did it all?

Or do you credit those who helped you, like friends, teachers, family,

and maybe even that one cashier who would stay 5 minutes

late every shift just to make sure you could get some food

at the end of the night?

Humility, also known as a modest view of oneself,

was found to help not only start

but also maintain romantic relationships,

with humble partners being scored as more attractive than arrogant ones.

Although we like to contribute to the good of the cause,

we still want to be acknowledged for our part.

If that recognition is usurped, where it’s only their name

on the credit reel, we tend to feel cheated, betrayed, or used.

5. Overly Smiley or Too Proud

Related to the previous point, this is all about how you hold yourself

or appear in pictures.

If you look pompous, puffed out, and arrogant, or overly smiley,

it gives the same vibe as not being humble.

This type of non-verbal expression implies that perhaps

that smile can’t be trusted, and that pride may override

the well-being of anyone other than themselves.

6. Contractive Body Language

Turtles are cute, but it’s because they’re turtles.

You’re a human, don’t try to turtle yourself.

It was found in a study between several universities

that people become more attractive when their posture

and bodily display are more expansive,

like open arms and a non-hunched back. It signals welcome.

The opposite of that—contractive body language like crossing

your arms and legs and hunching over—decreases desirability.

This is conveying a message of “don’t come close,

I’m closing myself off from you.”

So if you want to welcome people in,

go ahead and put your body into it.

We used to think attraction equals physical beauty,

but we know now that attraction is a complex thing involving

the whole person inside and out, flaws and all.