We’ve talked about human attraction between men and women in the past here and here. Previous researchers argued that what women value depended on the type of relationship they were looking for. Women looking for long-term partners want someone who will be a good provider for them and their children, but women seeking short-term flings care more about masculinity and physical attractiveness, features that may be passed down to children.
New research, however, has identified four categories of characteristics women seek in a partner:
* Good genes, reflected in desirable physical traits
Women look for attractiveness because it means the person has “good genes” (whether or not they actually do).
* Resources
Who doesn’t like a person with good resources — a home, money, a stable good-paying job — that can help provide for them and future children?
* The desire to have children and good parenting skills
This, of course, only applies to women who are actually looking to have children (or more children).
* Loyalty and devotion
Not much point in getting involved in a relationship if the person you’re interested in being involved with isn’t able to be loyal and committed to you.
Most women attempt to secure the best combination of the qualities they desire from the same man. A small portion of women who do not find a partner with all the qualities may trade some characteristics for others.
We don’t think any of this is rocket science or particularly new. Although women’s selectivity across categories reflected how attractive they appeared to other people, the researchers found the characteristics men desired in a partner did not vary based on their own physical attractiveness.
不管是過去還是現在,我們都談論著關于男人和女人相互之間吸引的事。早先的研究者認為女性的價值觀和她們所要尋找類型的關系有關。如果女性尋找的是長期的另一半,就會要求對方對她們和她們的孩子是一個很好的供給者;但假使女性尋求的只是短期的另一半,可能更關心男性的陽剛之氣和外貌以及能夠傳遞給下一代的特征。
然而新研究已經確定了女性尋找另一半的四個特征分類:
1.良好的基因,這反映在理想的身體特征
因為這意味著該人已具備“良好的基因”,從而吸引著女性(不管他們是否真的具有)。
2.資源
誰會不喜歡和一個有豐富資源(良好的家庭,有錢,一個穩定高薪的工作),能夠供給她們和未來的孩子所需的人呢?
3.希望有子女和良好的為人父母的技巧
當然,這僅適用于想要孩子的女性(或要更多的孩子)。
4. 忠誠和奉獻精神
如果一個人不能夠忠誠和承諾與你,很少會有人和他在一起。
多數女性企圖從同一個人身上獲得最好的素質整合。有一小部分女性找不到另一半的上述特質,就會轉而去尋求其他的特質。
我們不認為這是一個突破性的特別新研究。盡管女性的選擇是依據這四個分類來希望其他人來吸引她,但是研究者發現具有這些理想特征的男性并不十分在意他們自己身體的吸引力。