Who do teens crush on? A new study reveals the social math of adolescent attraction

A new study explores the social dynamics behind adolescent crushes, revealing that popularity, physical aggression, and relational aggression play significant roles in who young people are attracted to and who they choose to nominate as crushes. Conducted by Melissa González-Loyola and her colleagues at the University of Maastricht, the study analyzed data from the Peers and Emergence of Adolescent Romance (PEAR) study, which surveyed 1,895 students from a single high school in a geographically isolated area in the northern Netherlands.

The average age of the participants was 14.8 years, with nearly 51% of them being girls. The research found that 35% of students reported having at least one crush, with 48% of those nominated as crushes being boys. Crushes were most common within peer groups, where popularity, physical attractiveness, and social visibility influenced who became noticed and desired.

Students who had more friends or were perceived as popular or physically aggressive by their peers were more likely to receive crush nominations, while those who were relationally aggressive tended to nominate more crushes, particularly among boys. Interestingly, only 12% of participants who nominated a crush received reciprocity, and only 39% of students in a romantic relationship reported having a crush on someone other than their partner.