By James Macintyre
Published: 08 August 2007

Macho, dominating, masculine men appear to be in for long-disappointment in the love stakes after a new study shows that women prefer a “feminine” streak in their partners when it comes to settling down.

“Women prefer great degrees of masculinity for short-term partners, but for long-term relationships they prefer more feminine and definitely more healthy men,” said St Andrews University’s Professor David Perrett, who led the research.

“When people look at masculine faces they see them as being associated with dominance, which is a good thing in evolution but less good as a long-term partner,” added the evolutionary psychologist Lynda Boothroyd, of Durham University, which also took part.

In the study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the researchers asked more than 400 men and women to judge digitally altered pictures of male faces made to look more masculine or feminine. The study showed that faces with wide eyes, more curved eyebrows and full lips were chosen as the best potential long-term mates. And the apparent “health” of a face is a considerable factor, according to Professor Perrett, who said that women are subconsciously asking: “How long is an unhealthy person going to be around?”

Hmmmm… Does that mean that women have kids with masculine men and let the more feminine men raise them?  I’m confused.

Woman simply look for the following in a man (in no particular order)

sense of humour
intelligent
articulate
passionate
attractive
kind
caring
self sufficient
emotional (but not a cry baby!)
sensitive
strong
confident (but not arrogant)
driven

Lol see easy list!  Women aren’t fussy at all!

You forgot mind-reader, for fuck’s sake.

Rageous - 08 August 2007 01:19 AM

You forgot mind-reader, for fuck’s sake.

sorry i thought that just went without saying

I remember reading a news article a while back that said men with round faces versus more oval shaped faces were preferred by women as potentials fathers to their children. I wonder if there’s any correlation between the shape of ones face and the degree of masculinity they embody?

Here’s my take on it.  The names have been removed to protect the innocent.

(12:05:32) Female Friend:  yeah, i hear ya.  that’s what i do most of the time… i don’t know what it is, though; i just got this urge to cook something nice
(12:05:53) me: is it just for you?
(12:05:58) me: i’ll cook for more than me
(12:06:00) me: but not just for me
(12:06:31) Female Friend:  well, a gentleman friend may be coming over tonight, but i want the leftovers for lunch because i’m trying not to waste so much money on eating out during the day
(12:07:07) me: ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
(12:07:08) me: lol
(12:07:11) me: mkay
(12:07:14) Female Friend:  yes sir
(12:07:17) me: i love girls
(12:07:18) Female Friend:  :-)
(12:07:20) me: they’re so funny
(12:07:32) Female Friend:  yeah, we are… it’s the estrogen
(12:07:35) Female Friend:  we can’t help it
(12:07:47) me: i’m starting to understand this estrogen thing better now
(12:07:51) Female Friend:  it’s cool, though, because men have their little quirks, too
(12:07:58) me: ahhh well
(12:08:33) me: the more I learn about the female perspective and mind-set the more I understand how fruitless it is for me to worry about
(12:08:43) Female Friend:  exactly
(12:08:50) me: i know that sounds terrible but we unfortunately are different animals altogether
(12:08:59) Female Friend:  i swear men and women should be different species
(12:09:05) Female Friend:  our brains are just totally different
(12:09:53) Female Friend:  i can logically understand men because i’ve always been around them, but in terms of my own getting along with them and reactions to them, my female’s perspective just can’t interact in a male way
(12:10:06) Female Friend:  unless it’s with purely platonic friends

I believe this statement is quite true. (nic’s commentary, but she’s right)
I have noticed a change in how i communicate with others, i actually have better chats with women. (do i have alot of male buddies? to be honest no.) It just seems wherever i go (right place, right time) im in a group of the opposite gender. I dont mind at all, really. I find it fascinating. You learn so much being around others, its a fun experience.

Hey Nic, you left out “nice ass.”

What about what men look for in women?

Not psycho
No victim mentality
Not a gossip
Nice tits
Nice ass
Smart
Intelligent
Confident
Beautiful
Calm
Patient
Able to handle adversity

Honestly I think it’s a lost cause right after the first quotient.

You forgot ‘nymphomaniac’.

Touché.