Talk about a fiery headline, right!?
Read this post from Slate: Do Men find Dumb-Looking Women More Attractive?
If you’re too lazy, here’s the gist of it:
Physical cues of vulnerability—the pictures of, say, short women and hefty ones—had no effect.
These women were not necessarily seen as easy lays, nor were they judged as especially appealing partners for either a casual fling or a lifelong marriage.
On the other hand, the more psychological and contextual cues—pictures of dimwitted- or immature-seeming women, for example, or of women who looked sleepy or intoxicated, did seem to have an effect: Not surprisingly, men rated them as being easy to bed.
But more importantly, they were also perceived as being more physically attractive than female peers who seemed more lucid or quick-witted.
Wuh-WHAT!?
It is obvious that the the author is totally out of line by writing “on the other hand” without having written to “on the one hand” in a preceding sentence.
That’s just bad English and we should not stand for it!!!!
Seriously, what is this world coming to!?
No really, this kind of research and study sort of makes my head spin.
It gives men a bad rap and it makes women think they have to look dumb and sleepy to get a date.
I mean, let’s just read this sentence again:
… pictures of dimwitted- or immature-seeming women … were also perceived as being more physically attractive than female peers who seemed more lucid or quick-witted.
So if we look smart, or quick-witted, we’re not hot?
Luckily, the article goes on to clarify:
the caveat here is that there are multiple subtypes of reproductive strategies in men. Not all men are pricks, in other words.
Phew.
It made me wonder how the human race managed to reproduce and stay alive if all men looked for was ‘dumb & sleepy’-looking women.
Maybe this is part of the reason why alcohol is such a big deal.
It makes people feel (and look!) sleepy in addition to impairing their good judgment (making them dumb) on whether or not they should go home with predatory douchebags.
Although it does make you think. There’s always a little grain of twisted truth in these studies, even though I think it’s truly not the whole answer.
Jane Savers @ Solving The Money Puzzle
Those Olsen twins look dumb and sleepy and they always seem to get hot guys.
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
@Jane Savers @ Solving The Money Puzzle: They’re filthy rich! Mini billionaires. I’d get hot guys by the boatload too if I was filthy rich. 🙂
Tania
How exactly does one “look quick witted”? Were these women decked out in pocket protectors and gigantic spectacles? Or were they holding mikes (ala sarcastic comedian at a comedy club) I guess the opposite of sleepy and falling over is quick witted but I’d argue I know some females who are quite lucid and not at all quick witted.
My theory is a lethargic slow witted female is less likely to tell her male suitor to get the fudge brownie outt her face at the club, less intimidating or perhaps she merely looks ready to go to nighty night and hop into bed.
Now here’s the thing, when I go out dancing with my girlfriends I’m not the hottest. Well, ok, when I’m in shape I’m not half bad but I noticed even now as I’ve gained 40 lbs and generally stopped caring about clothes/make-up that I’m still the most approached when we go out. Even when I was married and had a ring on. But I’m pretty quick witted if I do say so myself. My theory was that I don’t look or dress sexy so I’m less scary to approach. But maybe I just looked sleepy? I don’t get out much and typically am in bed by 9:30ish.
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
@Tania: *LAUGH*!
Maybe they have huge glasses, yeah.
I think to look quick-witted it might be to not look drunk? I have no idea. I also think looking sleepy has something to do with… ACTUALLY BEING SLEEPY.
Personally I think you dress and look the way you want to attract the people to become your suitors. Dress how you want, they’re going to find the real you anyway, and they might as well know the truth up front.
If you start faking it with sexy outfits but really, you aren’t that kind of person.. you just attract the wrong guys anyway.