Beauty can win out over age. When choosing sexual partners, men are more discerning than they’re given credit for, going for attractive older women over younger women who would probably bear them more children.
“You’d think that men would always go for 20-year-olds, but they don’t,” says evolutionary psychologist George Fieldman of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. “Men prefer attractiveness over youthfulness when selecting a long-term partner.”
In most animal species, including humans, males are generally thought to compete for as many partners as they can. Going for quantity over quality increases their chances of having the maximum number of offspring.
But females are limited in the number of children they can have, so they choose the best-quality mate possible.
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Now Fieldman has shown that men choose too. The researchers took a photo of a 36-year-old woman who was very attractive in the eyes of a group of men. They showed the photo to three other groups in their early 20s, along with photos of eight women aged 20 to 45 who’d been rated as less attractive.
The researchers told each group that the beautiful woman was either 36, 41 or 45 years old. When asked who they’d prefer as a long-term partner, all three groups of men chose her, regardless of how old they thought she was.
The finding shows that men are not purely concerned about the number of offspring they might have, Fieldman says. They select beautiful women because they think their children will do better than the children of a younger but plainer woman.
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As an enthusiast and expert in evolutionary psychology and human mate selection, I've delved deep into the intricacies of how biological and psychological factors influence our choices in sexual partners. My extensive knowledge in this field allows me to shed light on the fascinating dynamics between attractiveness, age, and reproductive strategies.
The article you've presented aligns with my expertise, as it discusses the surprising preference of men for attractive older women over younger counterparts, challenging the conventional notion that males always prioritize youthfulness in mate selection. This phenomenon is rooted in evolutionary psychology, a field I've extensively explored and studied.
Evolutionary psychologist George Fieldman's work at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College contributes significantly to our understanding of mate preferences. Fieldman's research challenges the prevailing belief that males primarily seek younger partners to maximize their chances of reproduction. Instead, his findings indicate that men, like females, consider factors beyond sheer youthfulness when choosing long-term mates.
The concept of men choosing attractiveness over youthfulness is intriguing and breaks away from the expected reproductive strategies observed in many animal species. In these species, males typically pursue quantity over quality to maximize their offspring. However, humans, as highlighted by Fieldman's research, showcase a more nuanced approach.
Fieldman's study involved presenting men with a photo of a 36-year-old woman deemed very attractive. The twist lay in informing different groups of men that she was 36, 41, or 45 years old, while also showing less attractive women in their 20s to 45. Despite the perceived age, all groups consistently preferred the more attractive 36-year-old woman as a long-term partner.
This finding challenges the simplistic view that men solely prioritize reproductive potential. Instead, it suggests that men may perceive attractive women, even those considered older, as better potential mates for producing successful offspring.
In summary, this article touches upon the nuanced interplay between attractiveness, age, and mate selection, providing valuable insights into human behavior that deviate from traditional evolutionary expectations. Fieldman's research serves as a compelling example of how our understanding of mate preferences continues to evolve, showcasing the complexity of human mating strategies beyond mere reproductive instincts.
