What is Human Beauty Obsession Really About? Why are we irresistibly attracted to certain sets of physical traits and traits? What makes people look in the mirror, whiten their skin or sunbathe, interested in fashion trends? Doctor of Psychology, researcher and teacher at Harvard School of Medicine, practicing psychologist Nancy Etkoff, argues that these are not manifestations of corruption, materialism, spirituality, vanity or superficiality. Drawing on dozens of scientific papers and the results of hundreds of authoritative studies at the intersection of social psychology, sociometry, biology and physiology, the author explains the clear relationships between what humans universally consider beautiful and the evolutionary needs of our species.