A macho man may be good for a fling, but women prefer a “feminine” streak in their partners when it comes to settling down, according to new research.
Females favour feminine-looking types who they see as more committed and better parents. Men with masculine features, such as a square jaw, larger nose or smaller eyes, were perceived to be less faithful.
They were also thought to be more detached and worse fathers.
Those with fuller lips and wide eyes were chosen as the best potential long-term mates as they were seen as being more caring, nurturing and less likely to stray.
Psychologists from Durham and St Andrews Universities asked more than 400 people to look at pictures of male faces that were either digitally altered to make them look more masculine or feminine.
They were then asked to predict personality traits, such as sexual behaviour and parenting skills, based on the images.
The results, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, revealed that as well as preferring more feminine faces, participants chose healthier ones, such as those with better complexions, as more representative of positive traits, while older faces were preferred over younger ones.
Their findings could answer some questions when it comes to celebrity pairings, such as TV chef Jamie Oliver, whose button nose and baby face may show that his wife, Jools, was spot on when she chose to start a family with him.
Dr Lynda Boothroyd, from Durham University, said: “This research shows a high amount of agreement between women about what they see personality wise, when asked to ‘judge a book by its cover’.
“They may well use that impression of someone to decide whether or not to engage with that person.
“That decision-making process all depends on what a woman is looking for in a relationship at that time of her life,” she added.
By Women’s Editor Maria Cusine
5 Comments
where do they get all this rubbish from,lets face it if things are not right in a relationship to start with its obvious thing will happen elsewhere no matter if you’ve got a bid nose,small eyes or a tree stuck on your head.
While it’s true that women view macho / good looking men as poor long term mates, it’s not true that we find “feminine” features on a male attractive. We just settle down with average joes as opposed to jocks. Goodlooking /macho types aren’t viewed as cooperative, comproming or faithful. Just too much trouble.
That should read “compromising” not comproming….
What rubbish I have a baby face and feminine features with big blue eyes and look like butter would not melt in my mouth. I am very popular with the ladies and on my second marriage I don’t see my first son and I am the biggest tart and flirt going, in fact when people meet me who do not know me, they are suprised how foul and what a letch I am
what a load of rubbish my husband is macho we have been married for 18yrs he has been a great farther and husband