Posted on 12/18/2008 12:33:02 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Los Angeles, CA – A new study in the journal Personal Relationships reveals that women prefer mates who are recognized by their peers for their skills, abilities, and achievements, while not preferring men who use coercive tactics to subordinate their rivals. Indeed, women found dominance strategies of the latter type to be attractive primarily when men used them in the context of male-male athletic competitions.
Jeffrey K. Snyder, Lee A. Kirkpatrick, and H. Clark Barrett conducted three studies with college women at two U.S. universities. Participants evaluated hypothetical potential mates described in written vignettes. The studies were designed to examine the respective effects of men’s dominance and prestige on women’s assessments of men.
Women are sensitive to the context in which men display domineering behaviors when they evaluate men as potential mates. For example, the traits and behaviors that women found attractive in athletic competitions were unattractive to women when men displayed the same traits and behaviors in interpersonal contexts. Notably, when considering prospective partners for long-term relationships, women’s preferences for dominance decrease, and their preferences for prestige increase.
“These findings directly contradict the dating advice of some pop psychologists who advise men to be aggressive in their social interactions. Women most likely avoid dominant men as long-term romantic partners because a dominant man may also be domineering in the household.” the authors conclude.
So according to the “study” there are two kinds of guys:
Successful guys. And guys who use aggression to (try) to be successful, but who aren’t. The clear missing factoid being, the second group seems pre-defined to exclude guys, who are the combination: aggressively successful. The traditional alpha male.
No bias in that study, nope.
And it might be noted, utterly missing the fact that most guys are best at just being guys - not “networking” blue-state dweebs whose pentultimate goal in life, is winning silly contests of office politics.
Sheesh.
“That must be why I was so smitten with my teacher-to-be boyfriend-turned-hubby who was saddled with student loans.”
Amen!
I’m far more in love with and proud of my husband for his qualities as a man than his paycheck.
No, no, no. The question wasn't "what are the results worth?" The question was how much did they pay for this study -- I'd guess half a million dollars or so. Actually, the results are worth a warm bucket of pi$$.
It’s a given.
Thanks-— I’m sharing it with the girls.
Men, if you are confused about women, listen to these wise words. Then go try to find you a woman who doesn’t do that, if they exist.
I got my mind set on you
But its gonna take money
A whole lotta spending money
Its gonne take plenty of money
To do it right child
“Successful guys. And guys who use aggression to (try) to be successful, but who aren’t. The clear missing factoid being, the second group seems pre-defined to exclude guys, who are the combination: aggressively successful. The traditional alpha male.”
That’s exactly it. I suppose you could say the more attractive ones are smarter with their aggressiveness.
Could it be? Maybe they manage to not be jerks?
Maybe they are more successful because they are more pleasant to be around?
naw - that couldn’t be it.
It sounds more like women like men who have earned a high status rather than men who are just jerks to everyone.
That may be true in high school, but such behaviors are not a way to make it in the post-high school world.
Women tend to be attracted to guys who are successful. But, the definition of "success" changes from environment to environment. The high school football star is not as attractive 10 years later when he's an insurance salesman who can't stop talking about his high school glory days.
Its called your wallet.
Post of the day!
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