Editor’s Note: This is the final part in a four-part series on attraction.

Intriguing. Confident. Beautiful. Stunning. Hot. Intelligent. Caring. Fun. No matter which characteristics people use to describe the one they love, the reason behind attraction often has an uncontrollable component of mystery.

“When you first meet someone, sure, there are those girls who you feel a spark with,” said Shawn Mobley, freshman in health and human performance.

This elusive “spark” has been a source of intense study for centuries. So what is it that draws people into true love?

Love Potion #9

In countless movies, books and even Beatles songs, people have entertained the idea that a magical potion can create feelings of love or attraction.

While such a potion is not in existence today, our attraction to others actually does have some chemical basis.

“I don’t think chemicals are the sole factor in attraction, but they seem a component,” said Dana Halferty, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication.

According to lectures by Michelle Stock, graduate student in psychology, every person emits certain pheromones, which are processed subconsciously and detected through smell. In many cases, the effects of such pheromones are studied through what have been dubbed “sweaty T-shirt” experiments.

In a 1995 study at the University of Chicago, women were asked to smell various sweaty T-shirts and label one the most attractive. Women were consistently most attracted to the T-shirts containing pheromones similar to their own biological fathers, as cited in an article by the British Broadcasting Company. The explanation for this is that men with these pheromones seem familiar, and thus, more friendly and safe. Furthermore, scientifically these pheromones represent an immune system that has already demonstrated its viability and fertility, leading to another theory of attraction: sexual selection.

Sexual Selection

Look in any magazine, flip on the television or drive down the street, and it quickly becomes apparent that sex sells. According to modern psychology, the intense desire for a suitable mate has been passed down through evolution.

The theory of sexual selection was studied in depth by David M. Buss, who published his findings in the 1995 edition of American Psychologist. He found that men may seek a younger, more beautiful partner because these attributes signify health and ultimately fertility in a mate. Similarly, many women seek a man who has a strong financial background or a position of authority; these status symbols confirm his ability to support her offspring. The subconscious desire to pass on our own genetic material still penetrates society today, Buss writes.

Some students at Iowa State do not always agree with these findings.

“With women going more for careers, I feel like sexual selection may not be as prevalent,” said Sarah Berg, sophomore in psychology.

267 ways to look hot?

Even if instincts stem from reproduction, today’s women are no longer obligated to be submissive, docile housewives. Feminists continue to fight for women’s rights and equal opportunities in the workplace. Advances such as the pill and power suits gave women the edge they needed to become equals in what was once a man’s domain. However, as modern women continue to evolve, the societal role of women becomes increasingly more complex.

“I think women can have successful careers and lasting relationships if they have a good sense of balance,” Berg said.

In Maureen Dowd’s New York Times Magazine article, “What’s a Modern Girl to Do?,” she discusses the mixed messages sent to women today. Although schools teach equality, Dowd argues that culture and media send a vastly different message: Being attractive is the most important attribute of being a woman.

“I think there is a lot of pressure on girls to look a certain way,” Berg said.

Cosmopolitan, the top-selling magazine on college campuses, dishes “267 Ways to Look Hot,” and meanwhile, eating disorders, Botox injections and plastic surgery are all on the rise.

Dowd observes that “we have a society where women of all ages are striving to become self-actualized sex kittens.”

Ambition and power are in the top-six most attractive traits for men, but for women they can have an entirely opposite effect.

Scientifically, a 2005 report indicates that a man’s prospect for marriage increased by 35 percent for each 16 point increase in IQ; for women, there is a 40 percent drop for the same rise, according to Dowd’s article. According to these statistics, intelligent women are less attractive than their less intelligent counterparts.

Perhaps, while nice guys finish last, smart girls are right there with them.