Macho men 'bad news' for long term love
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Wednesday, 08, Aug 2007 11:02
Macho looking men could lose out in the love department as a new study has found that women view them as unfaithful and more dominant than men with feminine features.
Men with 'softer' facial features such as fuller lips, wide eyes and thin, curved eyebrows were seen as more committed and less likely to cheat on their partners.
Researchers from the University of St Andrews and Durham University asked over 400 British men and women to judge digitally altered images of male faces made to look more feminine and masculine.
The participants were asked to judge personality traits based on what they saw.
Men with 'masculine' square jaws, larger noses and smaller eyes were said to be more dominant, worse parents and to have a less 'warm' personality than their 'feminine' counterparts.
Lead author Dr Lynda Boothroyd, a lecturer with Durham University’s Department of Psychology, said the study showed that women appear to be in agreement with what they view as attractive for a long term partner.
"They may well use that impression of someone to decide whether or not to engage with that person," she said. "That decision-making process all depends on what a woman is looking for in a relationship at that time of her life."
The study also found that women were more attracted to men with healthier complexions.
Professor David Perrett from St Andrews University commented: "Our results contradict claims that machismo denotes fitness and disease immunity.
"Masculinity may buy you dominance but not necessarily tip top physical condition. Instead women see a healthy guy as the source of wealth, and fit for family life."