What is attraction?
Attraction describes an emotional, romantic, sexual, physical or aesthetic interest, desire or affinity.
Many people mistakenly label the attraction as purely romantic. But many feelings qualify as attraction, whether it's being interested in someone, admiring someone's appearance, or having sexual feelings.
Attraction is a key part of how you connect with others and build your support network, whatever form it takes.
Why is it important?
Attraction can take many forms and it is possible to experience more than one simultaneously.
Learning more about the nuanced and multifaceted nature of attraction helps us better understand our own feelings, as well as the boundaries we need to set to ensure those feelings are respected and understood.
See the following breakdown of the different attraction types. We also explain different terms that show the subtle differences between attraction types.
emotional appeal
Ce type of attraction is not necessarily physical in nature and is rooted in a desire for connection due to someone's heart, mind or personality.
Altered
It describes the desire for a kind of emotional connection and emotional closeness that the terms "platonic" or "romantic" do not seem to accurately characterize.
It can also express discomfort or disidentification with the word "romantic" as the primary descriptor or focal point for different types of attraction.
Attachment
Attachment refers to a type of bond or connection that is often needed or present in committed or long-term relationships of all kinds.
Attachment can be a factor in relationships with:
- friends
- children
- parents
- family members
Intellectual
This type of attraction is not necessarily physical in nature and is rooted in a desire for connection due to someone's intelligence.
Like
It is a deep or passionate feeling of connection or affection that often involves an element of emotional attachment.
The meaning of love and things associated with love can vary from person to person, relationship to relationship, and culture to culture.
PASSION
It describes feelings of deep desire, intense emotion, or strong enthusiasm.
Platonic
It is the non-sexual or non-romantic desire to be in a relationship with someone. Friendships, for example, are often platonic.
Protective
It describes attraction to those in need of care, such as a child, pet, or loved one.
Social
This describes those who are generally well-liked by the majority. A person who is socially attractive is usually also someone a lot of people want to be around.
romantic attraction
It can describe a deep emotional interest or connection that is not purely physical or sexual.
Alloromantic
This describes people who experience romantic attraction.
Amatonormativity
A social force that assumes romantic relationships are more ideal or "the norm" for everyone, subsequently viewing this type of relationship as more valid or superior to others.
Autoromantic or autosexual
This describes those who experience a romantic attraction to themselves.
demiromantic
On the aromantic spectrum, demiromantic describes those who only feel romantic attraction after developing an emotional connection.
Greyromantic or grey-romantic
on the spectrum aromantic , greyromantic describes someone who rarely experiences romantic attraction, or only experiences romantic attraction under special circumstances.
heteroromantic
This describes those who are romantically attracted to members of the "opposite" sex or gender.
Homoromantic
It describes those who feel romantic attraction to members of the same sex or gender.
Panromantic
It describes someone who is able to experience romantic attraction to people of all gender identities.
Generally speaking, gender and sex do not play a major role in the governance of romantic attraction for those who are panromantic.
Polyromantic
It describes a person who is romantically attracted to people of multiple gender identities, but not necessarily all of them.
sexual attraction
This attraction takes the form of the desire for intimate physical or sexual contact with someone.
Send
It describes intense feelings of passion, desire, affection or attraction towards someone.
Sexual goal
This type of attraction occurs when the majority of people view someone as sexually attractive, even if you personally feel no sexual attraction towards them.
Subjective sexual
It describes sexual feelings or the desire for sexual contact based on personal feelings and individual experiences that are not necessarily shared by the majority.
Subjective sexual attraction is often thought of as a sexual chemistry that exists in a given relationship, connection, or interaction.
physical attraction
It describes the desire to touch or receive touch, not necessarily romantically or sexually. For example, this may include hugging or kissing a family member or petting a dog.
Intimité
This term describes the physical, sexual, romantic, or emotional closeness between people in personal relationships of any kind.
Physical objective
This type of attraction occurs when the majority of people consider a person to be physically attractive, even if you personally feel no attraction to their physical appearance.
Subjective physics
This type of physical desire or admiration involves personal feelings and individual experiences that most people don't necessarily share.
Subjective physical attraction is often observable as the physical chemistry that exists in a given relationship, connection, or interaction.
Sensual
Very similar to physical attraction, sensual attraction describes a desire to touch or receive touch that is not necessarily sexual in nature.
