"Date with doubles": Why do we like those who resemble the former

To spread: celebrities, friends, and even we often choose partners similar to those with whom they were before. Psychologists call it the "double effect" and explain why familiar features are so attractive. Having your own type - for example, a high brunette with a beard is one thing. But another thing is when a person begins to meet someone who resembles the former that they can be taken for twins. This phenomenon is called "Date with a double", writes Huffpost.

There are enough examples among celebrities. Recently, US senator Corey Booker (Democratic Party, New Jersey) announced on Instagram about engagement with real estate agent Alexis Lewis. Her resemblance to his excava, actress Rosario Duson, struck the audience. "I thought it was Rosario! And then I read the signature," one of the users wrote. Another example is Kanye West. After being divorced from Kim Kardashian, rapper met women who were very reminiscent of a reality star.

In 2022, he even married Australian designer Bianka Censory, who has a striking resemblance to Kim. It looks like outside the world of celebrities. 28-year-old Caitlin said her two former after breaking began to meet with brunettes with blue eyes that could easily seem for her "sisters". "My ex -wife has the same face shape, eye color and hair, similar makeup style. She even works in an related field: I am a cosmetologist, and she does a manicure," the girl shared.

At first it seemed strange to her, but later she realized that she was choosing guys who looked like her exvis: dark -haired, tall and glasses. In her opinion, such a similarity subconsciously creates a "bonus of trust. " "I do not think it is deliberate, but a familiar type causes a sense of security and acquaintance," she explained. The 27-year-old Xavier learned from his friends that his former meets with a guy who looks exactly as he himself.

"He has the same hairstyle, tattoo, musical interests, even a hobby style. If not, we could become friends," he said. Despite the unpleasant feelings, Xavier admits: everyone has their own preferences. "It's like a brotherhood: boys choose the same type of girls again and again," he added. Psychologists explain that this phenomenon has evolutionary roots.

"Studies show that people usually choose partners who are similar to themselves, not those who are radically different," Glenn Gicher, Professor of Psychology and Director of Evolutionary Studies Program at New York University in New York explained. Paul Eastwick, a professor of psychology at the University of California in Davis, added that demography plays an important role. "We usually get acquainted with those who live nearby, and therefore have similar features and social factors," he said.

There is also a phenomenon of assortment selection - people often choose partners who even resemble them from the outside. "Genes, similar to ours, but at the same time different enough, can be optimal for the success of the offspring," - explained the social psychologist Madeleine Four. Moreover, familiar faces are easier for us to process at brain level, so they cause more trust. Although everyone has a "type", it does not mean that a person cannot "break" him for the sake of a special partner.