Although we might assume that attractive people are radically different from those who are less attractive, the truth is that we view the familiar as beautiful. Langlois and Roggman presented students with two types of photos: some were images of people from North European, Asian, and Latino backgrounds, while others were computer-generated images that combined the characteristics of several individuals. Surprisingly, the students consistently preferred the composite photos of both men and women. When the features of eight or more individuals were combined into one image, the students rated the picture as more attractive than the features of a single person or of a smaller combination of people. Thus, we seem to be drawn to people who represent the most attractive qualities of ourselves and those people aren't different from the rest of us.
     Even if your appearance isn't beautiful by social standards, consider these encouraging facts: first, ordinary-looking people with pleasing personalities are likely to be judged as being attractive; second, physical factors become less important as a relationship progress. As Hamachek puts it, “Attractive features may open doors, but apparently, it takes more than physical beauty to keep them open.”