WHAT do women want from a man? In the past, surveys have overwhelmingly shown that women want a rich man, and men want a good-looking woman. While not much has changed for men, as women鈥檚 financial independence has increased, it seems that their preferences have changed.
Fhionna Moore and colleagues at the University of St Andrews, UK, analysed questionnaires from 1851 heterosexual women between the ages of 18 and 35. They found that as a woman鈥檚 level of 鈥渞esource control鈥� increases 鈥� in other words as they become more financially independent 鈥� so does their preference for physical attractiveness in potential partners.
Women who had low levels of control over their cash rated the financial status of a man over his looks. Those with a decent source of income rated physical attractiveness more highly. The study will appear in Evolution and Human Behavior.
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Economic constraints on women are not as strong as they were 50 years ago, Moore says. 鈥淚t is this change in comparison to historical constraints that I believe influences mate preferences.鈥�
Questionnaires are one thing, but what do women do in real life? Moore says that a study she is working on suggests that the same relationship exists between a woman鈥檚 resource control and the characteristics that attracted her to her current partner.
We recommend that men who aren鈥檛 already there get down to the gym, and moisturise.
