What matters more, genetic compatibility or looks?

[MOSSADGLOWIE]

Everyone here is aware that looks are a critical factor to attraction. From an evolutionary perspective being good looking meant you had good health and you were prime for reproduction. It's water.

However, what about genetic compatibility? A key example to this would be Major Histocompatibility Complex, MHC for short. If you haven't heard about MHC, it is a set of genes that controls your immune system's response to pathogens. Everyone has their own unique set of MHC alleles and it would be most optimal to breed someone who has a different MHC so that your kids get a wider immune system range. This matters because we can actually smell this through body odor. Women prefer the scent of men whose MHC genes were most different from their own, and this preferation increases when the woman is ovulating.

Furthermore, studies show that couples with similar MHC report lower sexual satisfaction, less frequent sex and more cheating behaviour, and vice versa.

Let's imagine a scenario, who would a stacy prefer more, chad who's completely genetically incompatible, or a sub5 that is completely genetically compatible?

High IQ responses would be appreciated, but new perspectives are appreciated as well.

 

[Radio]

I feel like the stacy would still go for chad because i think the MHC would just act as like a boost rather than override your looks

 

[MOSSADGLOWIE]

I feel like the stacy would still go for chad because i think the MHC would just act as like a boost rather than override your looks

Interesting, and I think I'd have to agree that looks would still make Stacy pick chad. What about long-term though? Would stacy still be satisfied in a relationship with the genetically incompatible chad after a couple of months?

 

[Radio]

Furthermore, studies show that couples with similar MHC report lower sexual satisfaction, less frequent sex and more cheating behaviour, and vice versa.

youre probably right with this, long term it wouldnt work short term probably... but a sub5 still wouldnt have a chance tbh

 

[MOSSADGLOWIE]

youre probably right with this, long term it wouldnt work short term probably... but a sub5 still wouldnt have a chance tbh

Interesting. I think I'd have to agree that looks are more important than genetic compatibility in the short term and vice versa, however my scenario is an extreme. I don't think there is anyone that is 100% genetically incompatible with someone and vice versa. But then another question arises which is at what point does a woman draw the line at giving up looks for genetic compatibility and vice versa? Would a woman prefer a MTN that is genetically compatible, even in the short term, than a HTN that isn't as genetically compatible?

 

[Radio]

Interesting. I think I'd have to agree that looks are more important than genetic compatibility in the short term and vice versa, however my scenario is an extreme. I don't think there is anyone that is 100% genetically incompatible with someone and vice versa. But then another question arises which is at what point does a woman draw the line at giving up looks for genetic compatibility and vice versa? Would a woman prefer a MTN that is genetically compatible, even in the short term, than a HTN that isn't as genetically compatible?

youre right, and also i think a "Chad" would have everything perfect for slaying, but for the scenario it makes sense. Also i think in the short term HTN wins against the MTN, but in long term like i earlier said she might cheat on the HTN with the MTN if the compatibility makes up for the looks. And also i think the where the line is drawn just depends on the woman tbh, like if they want short term or long term or if a looks gap is too big

 

[MOSSADGLOWIE]

youre right, and also i think a "Chad" would have everything perfect for slaying, but for the scenario it makes sense. Also i think in the short term HTN wins against the MTN, but in long term like i earlier said she might cheat on the HTN with the MTN if the compatibility makes up for the looks. And also i think the where the line is drawn just depends on the woman tbh, like if they want short term or long term or if a looks gap is too big

Yeah I agree that it could depend on the woman. Unfortunately with genetic compatibility it is very hard to get studies for specific purposes like these, furthermore if I recall correctly the most recent study on MHC was published in 2005, and in most studies, if not all, women were only given scents, they did not know how the men looked like. But based from pure hypothesis, I'd say genetic compatibility has a significant role in human attraction.

I'll also look more into if it's possible to fraud genetic compatibility or do something alike with fragrances. It's a very interesting topic.