Men share views on who they find hot, while women don't
27 Jun 2009, 1127 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Washington, June 27 Men have the same taste when it comes to telling who they find hot, while women fail to agree with each other, suggests a study.

Led by Wake Forest University psychologist Dustin Wood, the study has revealed that there is much more consensus among men about who they think is attractive, when compared with women.

"Men agree a lot more about who they find attractive and unattractive than women agree about who they find attractive and unattractive. This study shows we can quantify the extent to which men agree about which women are attractive and vice versa," said Wood.

During the study, over 4,000 participants, between the age group of 18 to more than 70, rated photographs of men and women (ages 18-25) for attractiveness on a 10-point scale ranging from "not at all" to "very".

In exchange for their participation, the raters were told what characteristics they found attractive compared with the average person.

Before the participants judged the photographs for attractiveness, the researchers rated the images for how seductive, confident, thin, sensitive, stylish, curvaceous (women), muscular (men), traditional, masculine/feminine, classy, well-groomed, or upbeat the people looked.

Revealing those factors helped the researchers figure out what common characteristics appealed most to women and men.

It was found that men's judgments of women's attractiveness were based primarily around physical features, and that they rated highly those who looked thin and seductive.

Most of the men in the study also rated photographs of women who looked confident as more attractive.

As a group, the women rating men showed some preference for thin, muscular subjects, but disagreed on how attractive many men in the study were.

Some women gave high attractiveness ratings to the men other women said were not attractive at all.

"As far as we know, this is the first study to investigate whether there are differences in the level of consensus male and female raters have in their attractiveness judgments. These differences have implications for the different experiences and strategies that could be expected for men and women in the dating marketplace," said Wood.

Wood said that the study results could have implications for eating disorders and how expectations regarding attractiveness affect behaviour.

He said: "The study helps explain why women experience stronger norms than men to obtain or maintain certain physical characteristics. Women who are trying to impress men are likely to be found much more attractive if they meet certain physical standards, and much less if they don't. Although men are rated as more attractive by women when they meet these physical appearance standards too, their overall judged attractiveness isn't as tightly linked to their physical features."

Older participants were more likely to find people attractive if they were smiling.

The study has appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (ANI)

Related Latest

The British woman who has two vaginas Men, women deal differently with technological problems Soon, simple blood test to tell if a women is at Alzheimer's risk Meet the boy who was raised by sheep for 8 years! Chinese women sets car on fire to warm engine! Women lawmaker humiliated inside Pak parliament, starts crying Scientists find tropical butterflies that may soon split into two species Aniston, Cox extend support to violence-hit women in Congo Alps growing just as quickly in height, as they are shrinking Hakimmullah warns Taliban fleeing from battlefield they will go to hell

Related Latest

Two police officers embark on bicycle rally to spread message of unity Madhu Koda to remain in hospital for another day Middle order has not performed consistently in the series, says Dhoni TMC-CPM workers clash, Maoists kill three ahead of CM's visit in Midnapore Fake currency worth Rs 900,000 seized in Punjab Allahabad hosts Ganga Water Rally to accelerate tourism industry in Uttar Pradesh Over 60 percent turnout in Assembly by-polls; 53 percent in Firozabad LS poll Madhu Koda's associate sent to ten days in Enforcement Directorate custody Congress-NCP alliance forms government in Maharashtra for the second time Gold lovers in Chennai see gold as a promising investment

• Two police officers embark on bicycle rally to spread message of unity
• Madhu Koda to remain in hospital for another day
• Over 60 percent turnout in Assembly by-polls; 53 percent in Firozabad LS poll
• Middle order has not performed consistently in the series, says Dhoni
• TMC-CPM workers clash, Maoists kill three ahead of CM's visit in Midnapore

• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights
• Nine tips for nine nights
• need new prevention tech for HIV, other STIs and UP
• "Good health is India's basic need": Easier said than done Mr Prime Minister!