Popularity helps, but your unique chemistry decides

A UC Davis team (Alexander Baxter, Paul Eastwick and colleagues) followed three speed-dating studies and split first impressions into three parts: a person's own tendency to rate everyone generously or harshly; how attractive that person is to people in general ('popularity'); and the unique compatibility of a specific pair. The work was published in PNAS.

The second and third parts predicted whether a relationship started. As Baxter put it, popularity helps, but a unique connection with a particular person can matter just as much.

What it means for you: not being everyone's first choice is not a verdict. Look for a response that exists between the two of you rather than universal approval. Pair-specific chemistry is a force of its own, not a ranking.