Wile an intellectual, spiritual and emotional connection should be the recipe to a lasting relationship, physical attraction may be more important than some think.

Chemistry is activated by first impression attraction, and these attractions are shaped by social influences, individual perspectives and human nature, according to lovingyou.com, a Web site dedicated to helping others find love.

Senior Imani Thomas, who has been in an exclusive relationship for about two years, found truth in this statement.

“I think looks are very important because you have to be initially attracted to a person,” Thomas said. “Once you get to know someone is when personality becomes important.”

Senior Mu’Id Ghani gave a similar response from the male perspective.

“Looks are important but if they don’t have a good personality, looks become null and void,” Ghani said. “Looks fade. Personality is what lasts.”

Men and women tend to look at different aspects of appearance when it comes to initial attraction, according to Men’s Health magazine and Lovingyou.com.

In the menshealth.com article “What Makes Men Fall In Love,” the first answer given by the author was “sassiness, confidence and charisma, all within the first glance.”

Lovingyou.com gave insight on the female perspective saying, “Women are intuitively attracted to men with physical features that suggest a level of testosterone ideal for procreation.”

Lovingyou.com also mentions that research proves people are romantically attracted to those they consider to be on their same level of physical attractiveness.

Maybe this is why some people, such as psychology major Michelle Haldeman, keep a rating system.

“I use a rating a system, and I think it’s a good idea,” Haldeman said. “Things like hair, smile, face, muscle, stature, the way he dresses and how he carries himself get taken in consideration.”

Ghani disagrees with the rating system.

“People are too dynamic to rate,” Ghani said. “Rating systems don’t adequately depict who a person really is.”

It’s safe to say looks get the initial attraction but don’t make people fall in love. Physical attraction is important but personality is the deal breaker.