Men who avoid the gym may be disappointed to learn that women have a preference for muscly men when it comes to short-term relationships. On the other hand, being funny could help men in the pursuit of a long-term relationship, as women tend to appreciate a good sense of humor, as long as they or someone else are not the target of the joke.
To investigate this further, researchers recruited 384 women and asked them to imagine being approached by a single man in a bar. Each volunteer was shown a digitally-altered photograph of the man, where he either had a muscular torso or a less muscular physique.
The results revealed that women rated the more muscular man as significantly more attractive for a short-term relationship compared to the less muscular version. However, when it came to long-term relationships, muscles were still preferred but were not as important, suggesting that women prioritize other qualities when seeking a life partner.
In the study women shown a more muscular man rated him as much more attractive for a short-term relationship than a weedier version (stock image)
In addition, the researchers informed half of the women that the men had made an inoffensive, friendly joke at the bar, while the other half were told that the man had been more aggressively funny, with the women being the target of the joke.
Interestingly, the women rated the friendly, funny man more highly than the aggressively funny man for a long-term relationship. This suggests that women value kindness and a sense of humor that doesn’t come at the expense of others when seeking a lasting partnership.
The researchers propose that women’s preference for muscles in short-term relationships may be influenced by their primal instincts. The idea is that a strong man may produce children more likely to survive until adulthood, thus triggering an evolutionary preference for muscular partners.
On the other hand, men who possess a non-aggressive sense of humor may come across as nice and kind, which are desirable qualities for a long-term relationship.
Lead researcher Dr Mitch Brown from the University of Arkansas comments, “Strong men are attractive because we want to find a mate with good genes, and women associate muscles with being fit and healthy. However, in a long-term context, it’s important to find a kind person who will support his family. Nice guys who make friendly jokes can actually finish first when it comes to attracting a woman looking for a long-term relationship.”
The study, published in the journal Personal Relationships, also found that strong men were viewed as more extroverted and open to new experiences, but also more neurotic, which may be a turn-off for some women. Men with a non-aggressive sense of humor, on the other hand, were seen as more agreeable and conscientious.
Ultimately, the study suggests that women prioritize different qualities based on their relationship goals. When rating men for short-term relationships, the average score for muscular men was higher compared to less muscular men. However, for long-term relationships, the average score for muscular men was lower, indicating that other qualities become more important in this context.
To sum up, men who want to attract women for short-term relationships may benefit from focusing on their physique, while those seeking long-term partnerships should emphasize kindness and a non-aggressive sense of humor.
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