When you hear the word attraction what do you think? Many people automatically assume it only means being romantically or sexually attracted to someone. But, attraction can take many forms and you don’t have to have feelings for someone to feel attracted towards them. That means there are different types of attraction.
Attraction is a key part of how you connect to other people you can also feel multiple types of attraction at the same time. Sometimes you may be confused with your feelings.
You may like someone because they are very smart but you don’t want a relationship with them or you want a relationship but you don’t need to get intimate. Understanding that different types of attraction exist could help you sort out those confusing thoughts. So, here are 6 different types of attraction you could experience.
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1. Romantic attraction
This type of attraction is where you want to be in a relationship with a person and you desire romantic contact with someone. You may want to be with them even without the sexual aspect of the relationship. You can experience it as romantically connected with the person.
Feel close to them and you want to spend time together as a couple. To date them or even marry them someday. This is one of the most commonly known attraction types. And many people feel like this at some point.
But it is possible to never feel romantically attracted to others. It is called being aromantic. Experiencing little to no romantic attraction or desire for a romantic relationship if you are aromantic you may not feel the need to date or have a serious relationship.
But you can still satisfy your social needs through platonic relationships. Platonic means a relationship or friendship that can be intimate and loving but doesn’t involve physical, emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction.
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2. Sexual attraction
Sexual attraction is also one of the most common it makes people desire sexual contact or have sexual feelings towards someone. Often you feel this kind of attraction to your partner. But you don’t have to be in a relationship to find someone sexually attractive.
When you are sexually attracted to someone you’re experiencing feelings of passion desire or affection towards them. Some people experience greater levels of sexual attraction. But there are also ones who don’t experience it at all.
Similar to aromantic people asexual people simply don’t feel sexual attraction and don’t feel sexual desire towards others. This is completely normal and they just need to find compatible or accepting partners and their relationship can flourish through other types of attraction.
3. Physical attraction
Physical, sometimes called sensual attraction is a desire to be around others to be physically cared for, to be treated with love and affection as well as a desire for touch. Of course, this type of attraction could go together with other types. But it does not have to. When you feel this attraction you feel the desire to be touched or receive touch.
But not necessarily in a sexual way. You don’t have to be romantically attracted to someone to need some physical attraction. You could seek hugs from your friends or kiss on the cheeks from your mom.
4. Aesthetic attraction
Have you ever thought someone is good-looking without having any feelings for them? But as soon as you express your opinion about a person’s good looks people around you say, “ooh, so you like them, huh?”. Well, here is the answer you should give.
Aesthetic attraction is a thing. And it does not mean you are automatically in love with the person. Aesthetic attraction is defined as the ability to admire someone’s appearance without the need or desire to have physical, sexual, or romantic contact with them.
You look at them and you simply find them aesthetically pleasing. Just like looking at a pretty painting or lovely sunset. Some people are just easy on the eyes. And you can’t help but appreciate their looks.
5. Emotional attraction
To be emotionally attracted means wanting to be emotionally present with another person. This is another type of attraction that doesn’t only apply to potential partners.
Whether it is your partner, a friend, family member, you feel the need to connect with them on an emotional level and discuss your feelings. And openly share your experiences and thoughts. You find this aspect to be the most important in a relationship and you don’t feel satisfied if you are not connected at that level.
6. Intellectual attraction
Intellectual attraction refers to the desire to interact with people on a more cerebral level. It is also called sapiosexuality. Being attracted to highly intelligent people. What you are attracted to is their intellect. You like discussing different topics with them.
Admire their way of thinking and you like being challenged by their point of view. You may also find intelligence to be the most important trait of your potential partner. Also, you enjoy an intellectual activity such as deep conversation as an integral part of emotional bonding.
If you feel the intellectual attraction the most you may find it difficult to feel sexually or romantically attracted to someone if they don’t satisfy you intellectually.
Did you recognize some of these types of attraction with the relationships you have with other people? Do you feel like you lean to one type of attraction more than others or do you feel all of them depending on the circumstance? Let us know in the comments below. What do you have among these types of attraction?