Scientists have figured out why humans are more attracted to people who are already in relationships and lust over the idea of poaching someone else’s significant other.
According to psychologists, it’s a phenomenon called ‘mate choice copying’ and it’s something that’s developed throughout human evolution, meaning people don’t just randomly choose to break up happy couples.
Multiple studies have observed how people and animals, such as fish, birds, and primates, seem more desirable to others when they’ve already been chosen by a mate.
Women were more likely to experience mate choice copying because of the evolutionary pressures of mate selection and the drive to have children.
A partner already chosen by another woman was seen as a safer bet, signaling certain qualities like reliability or resourcefulness.
Relationship psychologist Limor Gottlieb added: ‘The quickest shortcut for women to evaluate a man’s worth is to find him in the company of other desirable women.’
Psychologist Eloise Skinner noted that men evolved to seek out more physical signs of fertility, making them less reliant on the same social cues women look for.
However, experts said that acting on this attraction, known as ‘mate poaching,’ can lead to messy relationships, as it may push people to prioritize looks over true compatibility.
‘Mate poaching’ is the designation that psychologists have given to the practice of deliberately pursing someone else’s love interest (Stock Image)
Gottlieb explained to Metro that this behavior is often displayed by people who score high for traits like narcissism and extraversion, meaning they’re regularly sociable, assertive, and seek out excitement.
People who tend to engage in mate poaching were also more likely to favor short-term flings and be unfaithful.
‘When opportunities are limited or the potential rewards outweigh the risks, some individuals pursue attached partners as a way to maximize reproductive opportunities,’ Gottlieb continued.
The experts noted that one in five new relationships start by one person swooping in and stealing someone else’s partner.
While several studies have focused on how evolution has driven this process among many species, psychologist Shahida Arabi explained that mate poachers are rarely motivated by love or a desire to have children.
Instead, they’re driven by envy, competition, and a need to be the winner in a romantic triangle, which provides them with an ego boost.
Arabi, author of the book Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare, added that mate poachers don’t just exhibit signs of narcissism, they also have a manipulative approach to relationships, known as Machiavellianism, and display signs of psychopathic behavior.
All of these warning signs combine to form what psychologists call ‘The Dark Triad’ of human personality.
People who desire people who are already in relationships tend to exhibit antisocial personality traits (Stock Image)
While some singletons who exhibit the Dark Triad may be looking for a quick upgrade with someone else’s lover, previous studies have found that others may have been plotting their next move for years.
In March, researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany found some people in relationships knew they were headed for a breakup more than two years before calling it quits.
The team found two specific phases of a failing relationship that’s secretly coming to an end: a gradual decline in satisfaction and the ‘transition point’ – where nothing will prevent the breakup.
Apart from the ethical questions that erupt from trying to break up someone’s marriage or long-term relationship, Gottlieb warned that there’s no guarantee the person attached person you’re lusting over is actually a good fit for you.
‘Someone may look desirable in public, yet not be a healthy long-term partner in private,’ Gottlieb cautioned.
‘Lasting relationships need compatibility, shared values and commitment. Mate choice copying can open the door, but it won’t sustain a partnership,’ the relationship psychologist added.
Moreover, the experts said once a couple forms in this way, there’s a risk that one of these two lovers will repeat the mate choice copying phenomenon again in the future.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .