What Makes People Fall in Love

Discover the things that make us give our hearts away.

Crazy in Love - As different as we all are, there are some huge things we all have in common. Chief among them: The things that make us give our hearts away. Read on to learn why we fall in love — and what you can do to make the leap a fantastic one. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel  (Photo: Rachel Frank/Corbis)

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Crazy in Love - As different as we all are, there are some huge things we all have in common. Chief among them: The things that make us give our hearts away. Read on to learn why we fall in love — and what you can do to make the leap a fantastic one. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel  (Photo: Rachel Frank/Corbis)

Being Similar - The whole “opposites attract” thing is overrated. Turns out we tend to fall in love with people who are like us, in terms of personality, outlook and even interests.  (Photo: JLP/Jose L. Pelaez/Corbis)

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Being Similar - The whole “opposites attract” thing is overrated. Turns out we tend to fall in love with people who are like us, in terms of personality, outlook and even interests.  (Photo: JLP/Jose L. Pelaez/Corbis)

Prolonged Eye Contact - A study paired off 72 students who didn’t know each other and had them stare into each other’s eyes for two straight minutes. The participants reported feeling passion and affection toward each other after.  (Photo: Mina Chapman/Corbis)

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Prolonged Eye Contact - A study paired off 72 students who didn’t know each other and had them stare into each other’s eyes for two straight minutes. The participants reported feeling passion and affection toward each other after.  (Photo: Mina Chapman/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Mina Chapman/Corbis

Ask Questions - A study published two decades ago found that having strangers pair off and ask (and answer) a set of 36 increasingly intimate questions (followed by four minutes of eye contact) increased their chances of falling in love. In fact, one of the couples was married just six months later. Find the questions here.  (Photo: Sonja Pacho/Corbis)

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Ask Questions - A study published two decades ago found that having strangers pair off and ask (and answer) a set of 36 increasingly intimate questions (followed by four minutes of eye contact) increased their chances of falling in love. In fact, one of the couples was married just six months later. Find the questions here.  (Photo: Sonja Pacho/Corbis)

Scarcity - There are two steps to this one. Step one: The more positive interactions you have with someone, the more you like them, so spending lots of time together helps you build. Step two: Pull way back. Suddenly being unavailable makes the other person appreciate the time you used to spend and makes them want to do whatever they can to be close again.  (Photo: Randy Faris/Corbis)

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Scarcity - There are two steps to this one. Step one: The more positive interactions you have with someone, the more you like them, so spending lots of time together helps you build. Step two: Pull way back. Suddenly being unavailable makes the other person appreciate the time you used to spend and makes them want to do whatever they can to be close again.  (Photo: Randy Faris/Corbis)

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Living Nearby - Research shows that living physically close to someone increases feelings of intimacy because it ups your chances of having random interactions. This also explains why coworkers pair off so often: constant exposure.  (Photo: Sonja Pacho/Corbis)

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Living Nearby - Research shows that living physically close to someone increases feelings of intimacy because it ups your chances of having random interactions. This also explains why coworkers pair off so often: constant exposure.  (Photo: Sonja Pacho/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Sonja Pacho/Corbis

Seeing Your Dad - There’s something to that whole looking for your father thing — women tend to be attracted to men who physically remind them of their dads. And once they start thinking about long-term relationships, men look for women in their mother’s image.  (Photo: 13/Siri Stafford/Ocean/Corbis)

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Seeing Your Dad - There’s something to that whole looking for your father thing — women tend to be attracted to men who physically remind them of their dads. And once they start thinking about long-term relationships, men look for women in their mother’s image.  (Photo: 13/Siri Stafford/Ocean/Corbis)

Winning Them Over - A study found that if you meet a guy and he doesn't like you at first, but later shows interest, you tend to like them more. Sound familiar?  (Photo: Wavebreak Media LTD/Wavebreak Media Ltd./Corbis)

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Winning Them Over - A study found that if you meet a guy and he doesn't like you at first, but later shows interest, you tend to like them more. Sound familiar?  (Photo: Wavebreak Media LTD/Wavebreak Media Ltd./Corbis)

Confidence - Being self-confident is associated with an increased ability to be intimate and a greater likelihood of falling in love. Love thyself.  (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Confidence - Being self-confident is associated with an increased ability to be intimate and a greater likelihood of falling in love. Love thyself.  (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Corbis