Are you aligned with your significant other?
So-called “super synchronizers” are perceived as more attractive by others, according to a new study published in 2010. Communication Psychology This means that people who naturally copy their partners are more likely to be asked out on a second date.
Physiological synchrony – the matching of heart rates, breathing patterns, hormone levels, and other biological processes between partners – has been studied and identified as an important aspect of romantic compatibility. In fact, partners who have matching autonomic functioning while together tend to report higher levels of satisfaction and intimacy. A similar process occurs between parents and infants.
But what’s less understood about partner synchronicity is how and why it happens. This new study aimed to investigate whether synchronized bodies trigger attraction or whether it’s just a by-product of an already-formed romantic relationship.
“In my lab, we study the biological mechanisms that link two individuals in close bonds. In this study, we aimed to discover the biological mechanisms that influence human mate choice and how the ability to synchronize indicates fitness,” said study author Shir Atzil, an associate professor at the Hebrew University and head of the Laboratory of Connective Neuroscience at the university.
The researchers recruited 144 participants and showed them a 92-second video of a man and woman on a date. The video included examples of highly synchronized and out-of-sync interactions. After watching the video, participants rated the men and women in the video based on their attractiveness and how strongly they felt attracted to each other.
Results from the first experiment showed that synchronized couples received higher ratings of attractiveness and attraction compared to unsynchronized sample videos.
The scientists then paired 24 men and 24 women to participate in speed-dating sessions, in which each single sat down with four other participants for five minutes each while wearing a wristband that tracked their physiological arousal levels. Before each date, participants rated their first impressions of each proposed partner, and then rated their relationship again after the date. They also performed a tapping test next to a metronome to demonstrate their ability to synchronize to non-human rhythms.
The fact that people who are most in sync with other humans and non-human creatures tend to receive higher attraction scores from potential dates than those who are less in sync, and that people who tap on time are also biologically more in sync, suggests that this trait may influence attraction in romantic relationships and a variety of other interactions. Scientists are now calling these people super-synchronyists.
“We found that synchronization abilities are consistent across tasks and partners. Some call them super-synchronizers, and super-synchronizers are consistently rated as more attractive,” Atzil explains. “Being sensitive and attuned to one’s partner can facilitate romantic connections, as a synchronized physiological state improves the coordination of different body systems, making interactions more fulfilling, suggesting cognitive and evolutionary benefits.”
The researchers hope to continue their study by manipulating synchronization during real-life dates to see what effects it has on romantic feelings and long-term relationship outcomes, and to determine whether super-synchronizers share certain neural, behavioral, or physiological characteristics.
