Women are attracted to all different types of men based on the way they look, their personalities, and overall presentation. New research shows that men are also considered attractive if other women show interest in them. The study from the University of St. Andrew’s reveals that men receive an “attractiveness boost” when other women choose them, reports Business Insider.
The study involved 49 female participants who rated men’s faces and abstract works of art on a scale of 1 to 100. They were then shown how other women scored the pictures and were asked to rethink their answers.
When the women found out what others thought of the images, they reevaluated their answers. If a woman gave a man a higher score, the participant was likely to change their score to be greater as well.
The phenomenon known as “mate-choice copying” occurs throughout nature. It involves an individual viewing possible partners as more alluring when they’re already taken by somebody else. For birds and fish, the process aids females in picking high-quality mates. It also gives them an evolutionary edge.
As for humans, women may like men who are off the market because they see them as being compassionate, faithful and good companions. However, the study showed that women also increased their scores on abstract works of art when they saw other women’s higher scores. In addition, the inclusion of lesbian and bisexual women in the study did not alter the conclusions. As a result, the participants may have been influenced by others’ opinions whether or not they were looking for a partner.
According to lead author Kate Cross, a psychology professor at St. Andrews, the study may actually reveal that humans are easily swayed by others. But previous studies have shown that women are more likely to copy mate choices compared to men. It is possible females are more apt to pursue quality mates.
Another factor to take into consideration is the attractiveness of the woman with the opinion. For example, men with an unattractive female partner are viewed as less attractive.
Other research has determined that women found men most attractive when they had a girlfriend as opposed to being “in love” or being married. They are less likely to pursue a man who is unavailable. Women who do pursue men who are attached may be dissatisfied in their own relationships. But just because a woman find’s a friend’s partner attractive does not mean she wants to pursue a relationship with him.
