Why isn't love blinding?
Question
Dear Scientists, Excellent series! Recently I began wondering about a well documented human response to attraction. It has been well documented that when one person finds another attractive their pupils can dialate. This being the case, why don't we become blinded every time we look at someone we find attractive in a well lit area? If you have had your eyes dialated by an optometrist it's annoying evident how bright everything is, how is this any different? Why isn't love blind?(ing). Keep up the good work.
Steve Philadelphia
Answer
Roger Buckley blinded us with science to answer Steve's question... Roger - Well it's quite true the number of emotional situations, including sexual attraction, can cause the pupils to dilate, but the effect is temporary and it's much less than having your pupils dilated by the optometrists. Also, any bright light will quickly reverse the effect which is not the case if you've had drops.
Chris - Right. So when you do find someone attractive your eyes do dilate, but that effect is trumped by bright light.
Roger - Exactly.
Chris - If you want to see whether someone really does fancy you, what your saying is you need to go and date them in a dark area?
Roger - I didn't say that at all. but it's a reasonable proposition.
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