As personal matchmakers, we often receive feedback from clients when presented with a match’s photo that they are not interested in because that person reminds them of someone they have dated in the past, or that they are not their “type”. This is one of the biggest pitfalls of single people, in my opinion.

Judging people based on their appearance because they remind us of someone we've previously dated is a phenomenon rooted in psychology. This behaviour can be explained through several psychological principles and theories, let’s dive into it.

These psychological principles show us why we might judge people based on their resemblance to someone we've dated before. This behaviour is a mix of cognitive shortcuts, memory associations, and emotional projections that shape our perceptions and interactions in new relationships. The trick is not letting it control our dating behaviour.

Break your patterns and work with matchmakers who can introduce you to the right person.