Researchers have found that acts of affection like hugs and kisses were more important to men than women.
And for women, sex tends to get better over time - after a couple has been together about 15 years.
Researchers surveyed over 1,000 couples from five different countries who had been in relationships for between one and 51 years.
Men who reported frequent kissing and cuddling were three times as happy, on average, as those who had less snuggling with their wives or girlfriends.
Women, meanwhile, said that such shows of affection had very little impact on their happiness.
Both men and women reported their sex lives improving the longer their relationship had lasted.
But men were more likely to say they were happy with their relationship while women were more likely to report being satisfied with the sex.
The survey of couples from the US, Germany, Spain, Japan and Brazil was carried out by researchers from the Kinsey Institute at America's Indiana University.
Lead author Julia Heiman said that the first 15 years of a relationship may be emotionally draining for women while they are raising children. As they get older, they have fewer pressures.
"It's possible that women became more sexually satisfied over time because their expectations change or life changes when their children grow up," the Telegraph quoted Heiman.
"The period of less satisfaction seems to overlap with the period of raising children, during which other things really take a focus," added Heiman.
The findings about intimacy were the opposite of what researchers had expected, she revealed.
She said: "We became interested in relationships that endure and how might we begin to understand them.
"Cuddles were more important to men in predicting the degree of happiness.
"The really useful message is we should not make presumptions about the genders.
"Because there's no way to be sure we're going to be right in any way."
As most men chill on the uncomfortable periphery of fashion, we do develop a strong sense for what we hate on women. And while women do style partly for themselves (”I’m the real me!”) or for their female friends (“SOOOoooOOO GOOD!”), a chunk of it’s for guys. Ladies, if you’re listening, please read, and get a clue if you expect to ever receive a diamond fashion ring. Gents, you may or may not agree with this list. If I’m missing any, let me know, and I’ll add them to the post.
Cheek Piercing
Nothing like a fashion statement that looks accidental. You look like you were shrooming in a fun house with a nail gun, and the next morning you just said “fuck it, I’ll keep it.” Thank god you have a pice of jewelry randomly adorning your face. When you’ve run out of original places to stud your head, don’t go random. That’s like a musician saying “wehhh, all melodies have been done before. I’m gonna play random notes wherever and I’ll be so different I’ll be cool.” You’re not cool.
Acceptable Alternative:
Standard piercings, plus, on the right girl, eyebrow ring jewelry, or nose ring. Lip ring can work under very particular circumstances. You kinda have to be already hot.
Giant Sunglasses
At first I just felt bad for you, thinking an extraterrestrial symbiote had taken you as a host. How wrong I was. You may be proud that not the smallest beam in the slightest crack of space will get in your deflector shield eye booth, but you look like a bug on hind legs. A bug! The stick thin skin-and-bones body type completes the preying mantis fashion statement. While I do appreciate being able to catch the action behind me thanks to your pair of anti-theft convenience store convex mirrors, I’d rather you just BUZZ OFF. Yep - “buzz off”.
Acceptable Alternative:
Shades can be hot. Like any glasses, you just have to find something that fits your face. The goggles above don’t match any human face.
Here’s the problem: lots of cover up is actually worth covering up. You may think that a pimple mount of height X necessitates a layer of foundation of X + 1 thickness, but really you’ve managed to expand the “problem area” to your entire face. Good luck playing the “success through dim lighting” card. You don’t look like porcelain, you look crusty. If you can’t tan, don’t manufacture a layer of grainy fakeskin. Some guys like pale chicks.
Acceptable Alternative:
Skin cream. Or, your actual face. The foundation’s not better than nothing.
Pets as Accessories
Living. Creatures. Are. Not. Accessories. While I appreciate, on some level, the pimping out of an otherwise evolutionary abomination into some kind of social use, this is a problem. You have no idea of the statements you make when you walk around with these fashion rats, or the thoughts that go through every guy’s mind. Images of fur and bow ties in a mulcher, or my personal favorite daytime fantasy, a bit of art I call “kicking of a dog through uprights.” We hate your dog, and we hate you.
Acceptable Alternatives:
Treating an animal like the companion it is. Get a real pet or walk alone.
High Belts
There’s beauty in proportion, and nothing messes with that more than a blatant misplacing of a standard item. If you’re willing to constrict your ribs, do us all a favor and wear a corset. At least it’ll make your boobs look good.
Acceptable Alternative:
A normal waist belt, if you need it at all. No stupidly thick belts, either.
* * *
I suppose Paris Hilton is to blame for much of the kind of shite we see every day. I think it’s time women got over her and her irritating style, and started using fashion for what it was meant to do - make women look hot.
Honourable mentions, thanks to comments:
Crocs - Indeed, fucking hideous. Unfortunately, it’s a bit unfair to pin these on girls, since guys wear them too, but they do know how to kill hotness with them.
Ugz (Uggs) boots - The name is as ugly as the boots themselves. Just what guys always wanted, right? Furry legs. Great.
And, for more excessive foundation, check out this pic of Cindy McCain (gah)
I had removed Capris, but I guess they did belong:
Women get all kinds of advice from magazines from how to dress to how to please a man in the bedroom, and even what to cook for us. And while it’s not all bad (with hotties like Kristen Bell and Jessica Alba on the cover) these mags are lacking much needed male insights. For example, we’re actually not that interested in your hair and we definitely don’t care about your shoes. Don’t get us wrong, we love the heels… we just don’t see why you need so many pairs that quite frankly, to us look the same. But if Women’s magazines were actually written by men, there wouldn’t be so much confusion about what we want. Here are some article titles, written by men that get straight to the point.
Oh, hey, Lemondrop readers. I'm writing to you from the Mariana Trench–level depths of a reasonably significant hangover. The reason I tell you this is because I think I have some helpful information for those of you out there who also like to take a drink now again: The best way to combat a particularly rough day after is to Think Positively.
So, today's column is all about positives. Lady positives! I was reminded yesterday, while out with friends, drinking said drinks, of the many small marvels of the human female. There was a girl a table over, with a black and white dress and Christina Hendricks proportions ... and we were all just collectively floored by her. Even my gay friend whispered, "That woman's body! It just won't quit."
And it wouldn't. It would not quit.
I should have said a word or six to her, but I was too timid and then she was gone, her curves filing themselves away in my brain parts.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the other, less obvious stuff that men love about women (that is, besides the way they look in tight black-and-white dresses). Because there are tons, and whenever guys are writing about women (I'm just as guilty as the rest, on occasion), it's usually telling them what they're doing wrong. Even my female editor seemed suspicious. (She was all "OK, crazy, why don't you make a list, and then I'll tell you what a repulsive pervert you are," because she's a reincarnated Viking who grows powerful from my tears.) But I was determined.
So, without further ado, here are 10 Things That Only Women Can Do That I (and Most Guys in Their Right Minds) Love.
The Casual Touch Oh, God, I love this so much. When, out of the blue, a girl will place a hand on your arm while she's laughing, or pick something out of your hair, or fix your collar. There's something so divine about an unexpected, casual, sweet touch like this. It's so beautiful and tiny and makes us feel all warm and happy. Of course, if it happens below the waist I fire six-shooters into the air and madly dance in place like Yosemite Sam.
The "Real Drink" Order When a gal orders a scotch or a bourbon, I'm pretty much on Orbitz looking for our elopement flights. I've caught some flak for mentioning that a vodka tonic is a shameful drink, and I might back away from it now as I've had a few this summer and there is something nice and uncomplicated about them, but as girl drink orders go, they're a bit unoriginal. But when a woman orders up something brown, I'm all "I will make sure your diamond is not a conflict diamond!" Also, add to this a lady who insists on picking up a round. That's always great. I have no problem paying (chivalry isn't dead, according to those Chivas ads), but when a girl is like, "No, you got the first few, Slim, I got this one," I'm all "My parents will totally help your parents find the right caterer."
Being Good in a Crowd A huge turn-off for me is when a woman acts possessive or turns into a clinging mute in the company of others. But! This is a column about positives, and therefore this is about how much I love when a woman I'm with is comfortable around new people without getting eerily quiet and hovering around the periphery of a conversation with that creepy mute focus that you see in movies about women who eventually go nuts and telekinetically murder an entire town. She's a fine actor and probably a nice woman, but I don't want to date Sissy Spacek. Yet you gals out there who tackle social situations, the "screw it" crew who just go with it and don't shrink like people say violets do -- you're tops!
Liking Blowjobs Note: I didn't say loving blowjobs. The line between liking blowjays and loving blowjays is seeming like you enjoy tuning a guy's horn and seeming like you enjoy posting clips on YouPorn of you taking on 10-piece Mariachi bands. Enjoying the act -- yay! Moaning about much you looooove it when a guy palms yours ears? A bit too much.
Girl Smell How the hell do you do it? I take showers, I use shampoo, yet how come bluebirds don't follow my scent when I walk outside? The way girls smell is one of the wonders of science, right next to dark matter and Hayden Christensen's still getting speaking roles. You used my shower and my 2-in-1 shampoo and still your hair smells like hope and passion fruit! HOW?
The Way You Casually Destroy Other Women I have plenty of lady friends and, to a woman, they're pretty much sweet and smart and sane. Yet if they don't like another woman at the party / bar / corner office, they effortlessly morph into Ian McShane from "Deadwood": "Oh, that chick is swine, swine, I wouldn't @#% that #$!@ with a #@!*&." Oh well, thanks for the clarification, sweet little Anne from Georgia in the sundress who usually says, "Aw, fudge!" when she stubs her toe.
Elbows I don't know why, but lady elbows are hilarious and cute. Look at your little elbows! What are they doing there? Oh, just introducing your forearm to your bicep? How pleasant! 1134Share
All That Crap in Your Bag Some dudes might be all "Why do you have to carry so much with you everywhere in that ridiculously huge bag?" But not me. I love girls and their ridiculously huge bags and all the crap that's in them. Just yesterday I was pawing through a friend's purse in a "needless item" fugue. You should have seen the stuff she had! If someone burst into the bar and was all "Quick, I require a sewing needle, 20 pounds of glossy magazines, a deck of cards, not one but two combs, matches, a heavy-flow tampon, a tungsten rod and Serbian President Boris Tadic's autobiography -- and step on it!" I could have produced said items from my friend's bag. It's 100 degrees outside, and she's willing to lug around a metric ton of nonsense? Brilliant.
The Fact That You Think That Air Conditioner Is Too Heavy to Lift Adorable.
Accents All of them, really. Hey, I know you can't help it if you don't have one, but you're also the same gender who will sleep with just about any Australian dude and most Brits, so live and let live, ladies. If I meet a gal and she's got any kind of accent -- Southern, Italian , Baltimorean -- I pretty much turn into an erection with eyebrows. I think we should all just fall in love with people who have different accents than we do. I could listen to a chick with a French accent read the shooting script to "Garden State" in full exaltation mode.
I could go on and on. Women on motorcycles, women on congressional subcommittees, women on "The Price Is Right" who excel at Plinko ... it's really endless. So, next time you see me checking you out, realize it's not just about your boobs and butt, it's also about the way you passive-aggressively flip magazine pages during sporting events.
[Redacted] Guy is the resident Single Guy writer for Lemondrop. He once got a model to sleep with him just by reciting the lyrics to the 311 song "Amber" in a Catalan. He can bench more than your dad but would never say so because, in spite of these considerable accomplishments, he's very humble.
Men really can laugh women into bed, because a sense of humour makes them seem more intelligent, psychologists have found.
A new study shows that women think that funny men are smarter and more likely to be honest than more dour counterparts.
Although studies have shown that humour is not linked to intelligence, researchers believe that the findings could be the reason why so many lonely heart ads placed by women list GSOH (good sense of humour) as a prerequisite for a partner.
Women have evolved to find intelligence an attractive quality because it suggests that a man will be a good provider for her and her children, the researchers believe.
Kristofor McCarty, from Northumbria University, who led the study, said: "A quick browse of lonely-hearts ads will confirm that women look for a good sense of humour in a potential partner – our research may explain why this is the case.
"The findings provide evidence that women use humour as an indication of a guy's intelligence.
"Intelligence is a very attractive quality as a clever man should be more able to provide resources for his offspring.
"But guys be warned: not just any gag will do. We discovered that the humour must be genuinely funny for the man to be judged as more intelligent."
James Corden, the comedy star of BBC hit Gavin and Stacey, has said that being funny helped him to attract women from his teenage years onwards.
“My weight was never a concern for me. I could always talk to them and make them laugh, so they tended to overlook my physical imperfections,” said Corden, who is currently dating actress Sheridan Smith.
To rate the attractiveness of a sense of humour in the study, 45 heterosexual women were asked to read shorts descriptions of themselves compiled by 20 men, 10 of which were scored as extremely funny and 10 as only slightly funny.
The women were than asked how intelligent and honest they thought that the men were and how likely they would be to go on to develop a friendship or a long-term relationship with them.
The findings, to be presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Brighton on Wednesday, show that men who used the funniest descriptions of themselves were thought to be significantly more intelligent than those who weren't as witty.
The women in the study also judged the men who had a good sense of humour as more honest and said that they would be more likely to become friends with them.
Funnier men were also seen as a better catch for a long-term relationship, according to the findings.
While women appear to prefer a men who makes them laugh, the psychologists say that previous studies have shown that the same does not hold true when the sexes are reversed - and men are not more attracted to funny girls.
According to various women’s magazines, women are not just looking for a Brad Pitt look-a-like who’s rich, no the top 10 things they want in a man (and how you can get them), are the following:
1) Honesty
Once she read all his emails, she truely trusted him.
Apparently the number one trait women look for in a man is “honesty”, which is ironic because we would take a hot lying girl any day over an ugly honest one. Nonetheless when women say they want a man to be honest, what I think they really mean is, that they want us to give status updates throughout the day of our whereabouts so that they can be secure in the knowledge that we have not escaped their clutches. What I am almost certain they don’t mean is for us to say something like: “Yes, your bum does look big in those jeans. Put the Dairy Milk down.”
How to get: As any man knows the only way to make a women trust you implicitly, is to give her complete and unfettered access to your mobile phone, and also all the passwords to your email/Facebook accounts.
2) Intelligence
Playa!
Women can be quite demanding, and the second biggest trait that they look for in a man is “intelligence”. This of course flies directly in the face of the evidence available for anyone with eyes to see, for example: most professional athletes are not renowned for their intelligence yet seemingly are intelligent enough to get some of the hottest women in the world, whilst I never saw Stephen Hawking with no playboy bunnies. (Editor’s note: Unbelievably Stephen Hawking has not only been married but he also cheated on his wife! And I found that photo.)
How to get: It is a fact that 64% of facts are made-up, if a woman dares to question your intelligence, baffle her with a made-up realistic sounding fact. For example: Did you know that proportionally an ant is stronger than a diamond?
3) Nice Smile
This is why Americans do not believe in social healthcare
In fairness this is not just a trait that women look for a man, more really a trait that the world looks for in a man. No one wants to look at a gob like that dude from The Pogues (see picture).
How to get: Good dental hygiene is your friend here. Also whitening strips might give you that “Hollywood smile” to dazzle all-comers.
4) Sense of Humor
Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
Daily readers may remember that a “Sense of humor” is also one of the foundations of being cool (see, How To: Be Cool), and it also what women state implicitly is one of the most attractive features in a man. As a stand-up comedian of limited success, I know first hand this to be a lie. Well at least if you want to attract hot chicks.
How to get: Some say you cannot learn to be funny, that is a lie. Carlos Mencia proves it. Thus following Carlos’ example feel free to steal jokes and pass them off as your own. Also witty comebacks are good for demonstrating your sense of humor. Unfortunately, often you will not be able to come up with your comeback quick enough. That is okay, when regaling your friends with your story about your razor sharp comeback, simply remember to omit this fact.
5) Manners
It would be remiss of me to not point out the spot on the chin
Good manners are a subtle non-verbal clue that you have been brought up well, and so therefore maybe rich, which women tend to like. Also manners are the easiest of all these traits to acquire.
How to get: Hold open doors, say please and thank you, don’t put your elbows on the table, use your knife and fork correctly. It is not necessary to throw your jacket onto a puddle though for a woman - that will just make you look weird. And leave you with an unwanted dry-cleaning bill.
6) Sensitivity
Sad face : (
Chicks dig “sensitivity” - I’ve seen it in lots of movies. Famously this was a trait portrayed by Brandon Fraser in the 2000 remake of 1967 classic “Bedazzled” starring a scandalously dressed Elizabeth Hurley, when he was trying to clinch the deal with his love interest. However “Bedazzled” also threw up some words of caution, women don’t want a man who is too sensitive. Women want a man who is willing to say puppies are cute but at the same time beat up anyone who dares to besmirch their honor.
How to get: Instead of laughing during Bambi, pretend to cry. Express your solidarity (verbally) with people in worse off situations than yourself. Also make donations to those “charity muggers” in the street when with a women, being sure to immediately cancel the direct debit when you get home.
7) Sincerity
Russel Brand is a sincere guy
I’m not saying that women lack a little of the #2 trait that they are looking for, but in my eyes honesty and sincerity are pretty much the same thing. Having said that cachungas would probably make it twice in a list of what men look for in women so…
How to get: See above.
8) Gainfully employed
Where do I sign on?
Translation: Be rich. Trust me, women would rather be dating a jobless millionaire than a hardworking fast food operative any day of the week. For your own well-being, a job is a good goal to aspire to, however any job should always been performed with the words of the late Bill Hick’s ringing in your ears: “It’s just a job man, you’re lucky I turned up.”
Whilst no one can doubt that having your own place would be nice, the reality is that more and more young people are being forced to live with their parents due to the current cost of renting/buying a home. In spite of that damning statistic (which I never actually gave you) the reason women tend to look for guys’ with their own place, is so that they can go back to theirs to “watch DVDs” - and by DVDs, I mean “make out”. So it is in your own benefit to flee your mother’s cock blocking lair.
How to get: Save up money, then check out craigslist.
10) Owns a car
*sigh* I want one
Women want a man with a car? Oh now they’re just pushing it! Who can afford to run a car in today’s current economic climate? As Eddie Griffin said: “Whatever happened to loving a gentleman* with a bus pass?”. I negate the need for a car by only dating women within the reach of public transport.
How to get: Other than doing a “GTA” and robbing a car, you can borrow your dad’s family saloon and look like the young hipster you are. Or you can simply say that your Porshe/Enzo/McLaren (delete as appropriate) is in the garage. Hopefully they wont check up on you. * removed offensive racist word and replaced with a more family friendly term.
According to various women’s magazines, women are not just looking for a Brad Pitt look-a-like who’s rich, no the top 10 things they want in a man (and how you can get them), are the following:
1) Honesty
Once she read all his emails, she truely trusted him.
Apparently the number one trait women look for in a man is “honesty”, which is ironic because we would take a hot lying girl any day over an ugly honest one. Nonetheless when women say they want a man to be honest, what I think they really mean is, that they want us to give status updates throughout the day of our whereabouts so that they can be secure in the knowledge that we have not escaped their clutches. What I am almost certain they don’t mean is for us to say something like: “Yes, your bum does look big in those jeans. Put the Dairy Milk down.”
How to get: As any man knows the only way to make a women trust you implicitly, is to give her complete and unfettered access to your mobile phone, and also all the passwords to your email/Facebook accounts.
2) Intelligence
Playa!
Women can be quite demanding, and the second biggest trait that they look for in a man is “intelligence”. This of course flies directly in the face of the evidence available for anyone with eyes to see, for example: most professional athletes are not renowned for their intelligence yet seemingly are intelligent enough to get some of the hottest women in the world, whilst I never saw Stephen Hawking with no playboy bunnies. (Editor’s note: Unbelievably Stephen Hawking has not only been married but he also cheated on his wife! And I found that photo.)
How to get: It is a fact that 64% of facts are made-up, if a woman dares to question your intelligence, baffle her with a made-up realistic sounding fact. For example: Did you know that proportionally an ant is stronger than a diamond?
3) Nice Smile
This is why Americans do not believe in social healthcare
In fairness this is not just a trait that women look for a man, more really a trait that the world looks for in a man. No one wants to look at a gob like that dude from The Pogues (see picture).
How to get: Good dental hygiene is your friend here. Also whitening strips might give you that “Hollywood smile” to dazzle all-comers.
4) Sense of Humor
Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
Daily readers may remember that a “Sense of humor” is also one of the foundations of being cool (see, How To: Be Cool), and it also what women state implicitly is one of the most attractive features in a man. As a stand-up comedian of limited success, I know first hand this to be a lie. Well at least if you want to attract hot chicks.
How to get: Some say you cannot learn to be funny, that is a lie. Carlos Mencia proves it. Thus following Carlos’ example feel free to steal jokes and pass them off as your own. Also witty comebacks are good for demonstrating your sense of humor. Unfortunately, often you will not be able to come up with your comeback quick enough. That is okay, when regaling your friends with your story about your razor sharp comeback, simply remember to omit this fact.
5) Manners
It would be remiss of me to not point out the spot on the chin
Good manners are a subtle non-verbal clue that you have been brought up well, and so therefore maybe rich, which women tend to like. Also manners are the easiest of all these traits to acquire.
How to get: Hold open doors, say please and thank you, don’t put your elbows on the table, use your knife and fork correctly. It is not necessary to throw your jacket onto a puddle though for a woman - that will just make you look weird. And leave you with an unwanted dry-cleaning bill.
6) Sensitivity
Sad face : (
Chicks dig “sensitivity” - I’ve seen it in lots of movies. Famously this was a trait portrayed by Brandon Fraser in the 2000 remake of 1967 classic “Bedazzled” starring a scandalously dressed Elizabeth Hurley, when he was trying to clinch the deal with his love interest. However “Bedazzled” also threw up some words of caution, women don’t want a man who is too sensitive. Women want a man who is willing to say puppies are cute but at the same time beat up anyone who dares to besmirch their honor.
How to get: Instead of laughing during Bambi, pretend to cry. Express your solidarity (verbally) with people in worse off situations than yourself. Also make donations to those “charity muggers” in the street when with a women, being sure to immediately cancel the direct debit when you get home.
7) Sincerity
Russel Brand is a sincere guy
I’m not saying that women lack a little of the #2 trait that they are looking for, but in my eyes honesty and sincerity are pretty much the same thing. Having said that cachungas would probably make it twice in a list of what men look for in women so…
How to get: See above.
8) Gainfully employed
Where do I sign on?
Translation: Be rich. Trust me, women would rather be dating a jobless millionaire than a hardworking fast food operative any day of the week. For your own well-being, a job is a good goal to aspire to, however any job should always been performed with the words of the late Bill Hick’s ringing in your ears: “It’s just a job man, you’re lucky I turned up.”
Whilst no one can doubt that having your own place would be nice, the reality is that more and more young people are being forced to live with their parents due to the current cost of renting/buying a home. In spite of that damning statistic (which I never actually gave you) the reason women tend to look for guys’ with their own place, is so that they can go back to theirs to “watch DVDs” - and by DVDs, I mean “make out”. So it is in your own benefit to flee your mother’s cock blocking lair.
How to get: Save up money, then check out craigslist.
10) Owns a car
*sigh* I want one
Women want a man with a car? Oh now they’re just pushing it! Who can afford to run a car in today’s current economic climate? As Eddie Griffin said: “Whatever happened to loving a gentleman* with a bus pass?”. I negate the need for a car by only dating women within the reach of public transport.
How to get: Other than doing a “GTA” and robbing a car, you can borrow your dad’s family saloon and look like the young hipster you are. Or you can simply say that your Porshe/Enzo/McLaren (delete as appropriate) is in the garage. Hopefully they wont check up on you. * removed offensive racist word and replaced with a more family friendly term.
What do men want in a woman? Brains? Beauty? Vacuuming prowess?
Researchers at the University of Iowa find that men increasingly are interested in intelligent, educated women who are financially stable — and chastity isn't an issue.
The findings are part of a study, conducted every decade since 1939, which asks participants to rank a list of 18 characteristics they would want in a partner on a scale ranging from "irrelevant" to "essential." Included are such items as "sociability" and "good cook, housekeeper," as well as "mutual attraction and love," which came in first place for both men and women in 2008. (In 1939, it wasn't in the top three for either sex.)
Male and female participants in 2008 rounded out their top traits with "dependable character" and "emotional stability, maturity." Men ranked intelligence fourth, a big jump from 11th place in 1939; in addition, "good financial prospect" moved to 12th place in 2008, a shift from its low 17th-place ranking in 1939 and last-place ranking in 1967.
"This is a generation of men who has grown up with educated women as their mothers, teachers, doctors, and role models," said Christine Whelan, head of the study and author of "Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman's Guide to True Love" (Simon & Schuster, 2008). "And in tough economic times, sharing the financial burden with a spouse takes the burden off these guys to be the sole provider."
The study's participants were college students from the University of Iowa, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia, and Penn State University.
"Like attracts like, so certainly the fact that we were polling college students would suggest that intelligence and education are going to be important characteristics," Whelan says.
Another notable shift involves the significance of chastity: In 1939, it was valued more than intelligence in women, but in 2008, it was ranked the least important characteristic. Furthermore, it also was ranked the least important for men. This, coupled with the shared top-three ranking for both men and women, suggests a commonality that seems positively modern-day.
What do men want in a woman? Brains? Beauty? Vacuuming prowess?
Researchers at the University of Iowa find that men increasingly are interested in intelligent, educated women who are financially stable — and chastity isn't an issue.
The findings are part of a study, conducted every decade since 1939, which asks participants to rank a list of 18 characteristics they would want in a partner on a scale ranging from "irrelevant" to "essential." Included are such items as "sociability" and "good cook, housekeeper," as well as "mutual attraction and love," which came in first place for both men and women in 2008. (In 1939, it wasn't in the top three for either sex.)
Male and female participants in 2008 rounded out their top traits with "dependable character" and "emotional stability, maturity." Men ranked intelligence fourth, a big jump from 11th place in 1939; in addition, "good financial prospect" moved to 12th place in 2008, a shift from its low 17th-place ranking in 1939 and last-place ranking in 1967.
"This is a generation of men who has grown up with educated women as their mothers, teachers, doctors, and role models," said Christine Whelan, head of the study and author of "Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman's Guide to True Love" (Simon & Schuster, 2008). "And in tough economic times, sharing the financial burden with a spouse takes the burden off these guys to be the sole provider."
The study's participants were college students from the University of Iowa, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia, and Penn State University.
"Like attracts like, so certainly the fact that we were polling college students would suggest that intelligence and education are going to be important characteristics," Whelan says.
Another notable shift involves the significance of chastity: In 1939, it was valued more than intelligence in women, but in 2008, it was ranked the least important characteristic. Furthermore, it also was ranked the least important for men. This, coupled with the shared top-three ranking for both men and women, suggests a commonality that seems positively modern-day.
Scientists have found that the pleasure women get from making love is directly linked to the size of their partner’s bank balance.
They found that the wealthier a man is, the more frequently his partner has orgasms.
“Women’s orgasm frequency increases with the income of their partner,” said Dr Thomas Pollet, the Newcastle University psychologist behind the research.
He believes the phenomenon is an “evolutionary adaptation” that is hard-wired into women, driving them to select men on the basis of their perceived quality.
The study is certain to prove controversial, suggesting that women are inherently programmed to be gold-diggers.
However, it fits into a wider body of research known as evolutionary psychology which suggests that both men and women are genetically predisposed to ruthlessly exploit each other to achieve the best chances of survival for their genes.
The female orgasm is the focus of much research because it appears to have no reproductive purpose. Women can become pregnant whatever their pleasure levels.
Pollet, and Professor Daniel Nettle, his co-author, believed, however, that the female orgasm is an evolutionary adaptation that drives women to choose and retain high-quality partners.
He and Nettle tested that idea using data gathered in one of the world’s biggest lifestyle studies. The Chinese Health and Family Life Survey targeted 5,000 people across China for in-depth interviews about their personal lives, including questions about their sex lives, income and other factors. Among these were 1,534 women with male partners whose data was the basis for the study.
They found that 121 of these women always had orgasms during sex, while 408 more had them “often”. Another 762 “sometimes” orgasmed while 243 had them rarely or never. Such figures are similar to those for western countries.
There were of course, several factors involved in such differences but, said Pollet, money was one of the main ones.
He said: “Increasing partner income had a highly positive effect on women’s self-reported frequency of orgasm. More desirable mates cause women to experience more orgasms.”
This is not an effect limited to Chinese women. Previous research in Germany and America has looked at attributes such as body symmetry and attractiveness, finding that these are also linked with orgasm frequency. Money, however, seems even more important.
David Buss, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, who raised this question in his book The Evolution of Desire believes female orgasms have several possible purposes.
“They could promote emotional bonding with a high-quality male or they could serve as a signal that women are highly sexually satisfied, and hence unlikely to seek sex with other men,” he said. “What those orgasms are saying is ‘I'm extremely loyal, so you should invest in me and my children’."
Scientists have found that the pleasure women get from making love is directly linked to the size of their partner’s bank balance.
They found that the wealthier a man is, the more frequently his partner has orgasms.
“Women’s orgasm frequency increases with the income of their partner,” said Dr Thomas Pollet, the Newcastle University psychologist behind the research.
He believes the phenomenon is an “evolutionary adaptation” that is hard-wired into women, driving them to select men on the basis of their perceived quality.
The study is certain to prove controversial, suggesting that women are inherently programmed to be gold-diggers.
However, it fits into a wider body of research known as evolutionary psychology which suggests that both men and women are genetically predisposed to ruthlessly exploit each other to achieve the best chances of survival for their genes.
The female orgasm is the focus of much research because it appears to have no reproductive purpose. Women can become pregnant whatever their pleasure levels.
Pollet, and Professor Daniel Nettle, his co-author, believed, however, that the female orgasm is an evolutionary adaptation that drives women to choose and retain high-quality partners.
He and Nettle tested that idea using data gathered in one of the world’s biggest lifestyle studies. The Chinese Health and Family Life Survey targeted 5,000 people across China for in-depth interviews about their personal lives, including questions about their sex lives, income and other factors. Among these were 1,534 women with male partners whose data was the basis for the study.
They found that 121 of these women always had orgasms during sex, while 408 more had them “often”. Another 762 “sometimes” orgasmed while 243 had them rarely or never. Such figures are similar to those for western countries.
There were of course, several factors involved in such differences but, said Pollet, money was one of the main ones.
He said: “Increasing partner income had a highly positive effect on women’s self-reported frequency of orgasm. More desirable mates cause women to experience more orgasms.”
This is not an effect limited to Chinese women. Previous research in Germany and America has looked at attributes such as body symmetry and attractiveness, finding that these are also linked with orgasm frequency. Money, however, seems even more important.
David Buss, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, who raised this question in his book The Evolution of Desire believes female orgasms have several possible purposes.
“They could promote emotional bonding with a high-quality male or they could serve as a signal that women are highly sexually satisfied, and hence unlikely to seek sex with other men,” he said. “What those orgasms are saying is ‘I'm extremely loyal, so you should invest in me and my children’."
Scientific proff men do look at women's breasts first .... Miss Universe Australia Rachael Finch, who has 34/86 chest and 35/89 hips. Source: AP
WOMEN have long complained that their faces are often the last thing men look at - and now a scientific study has proved them right.
Researchers found that virtually half - 47 per cent - of men first glance at a woman’s breasts.
A third of the "first fixations" are on the waist and hips, while fewer than 20 per cent look at the woman's face.
Not only are breasts often the first thing men look at, they also glance at them for longer than any other body part, the experts discovered, the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK reported.
It’s thought that the reason might be evolutionary, as women with larger chests and slim waists - such as Jennifer Hawkins, Lara Bingle and Rachael Finch - have higher levels of the female hormone oestrogen, indicating greater fertility.
But the researchers conceded that there could be a more prosaic explanation.
"Men may be looking more often at the breasts because they are simply aesthetically pleasing, regardless of the size," they said.
Subjects tested by researchers from New Zealand’s University of Wellington were presented with six images of the same woman, digitally altered to increase or decrease the size of her bust, waist and hips.
The scientists recorded which areas men looked at first, the number of times they looked, and how long their gaze lasted, using cameras and mirrors to measure tiny eye movements.
"Eighty per cent of first fixations were on the breasts and midriff. Men spent consistently more time looking at the breasts and also made significantly more fixations upon them than other regions," the study concluded.
It also found that men began to gaze at the "components of the hourglass figure" within 0.2 seconds.
The research also discovered that few glances were directed at the arms, lower legs and feet.
Scientific proff men do look at women's breasts first .... Miss Universe Australia Rachael Finch, who has 34/86 chest and 35/89 hips. Source: AP
WOMEN have long complained that their faces are often the last thing men look at - and now a scientific study has proved them right.
Researchers found that virtually half - 47 per cent - of men first glance at a woman’s breasts.
A third of the "first fixations" are on the waist and hips, while fewer than 20 per cent look at the woman's face.
Not only are breasts often the first thing men look at, they also glance at them for longer than any other body part, the experts discovered, the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK reported.
It’s thought that the reason might be evolutionary, as women with larger chests and slim waists - such as Jennifer Hawkins, Lara Bingle and Rachael Finch - have higher levels of the female hormone oestrogen, indicating greater fertility.
But the researchers conceded that there could be a more prosaic explanation.
"Men may be looking more often at the breasts because they are simply aesthetically pleasing, regardless of the size," they said.
Subjects tested by researchers from New Zealand’s University of Wellington were presented with six images of the same woman, digitally altered to increase or decrease the size of her bust, waist and hips.
The scientists recorded which areas men looked at first, the number of times they looked, and how long their gaze lasted, using cameras and mirrors to measure tiny eye movements.
"Eighty per cent of first fixations were on the breasts and midriff. Men spent consistently more time looking at the breasts and also made significantly more fixations upon them than other regions," the study concluded.
It also found that men began to gaze at the "components of the hourglass figure" within 0.2 seconds.
The research also discovered that few glances were directed at the arms, lower legs and feet.
The more politically correct individuals will cry foul at any mention of double standards or reinforced stereotypes in the division between men and women. The realists out there will simply nod, and even laugh where appropriate, since it’s just plain truth in most cases that certain significant differences to exist between the sexes. There are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part, these 15 points of contention provide for easy ways to perpetuate the rift been the two disparate halves of humanity.
It’s really quite simple: Men have stringent rules they follow to make using the bathroom a quick, efficient, and silent. It’s business, whereas for women, it’s a social event. Women will go to the restroom as a group, and use the time to discuss a full range of topics. Men go as far as to have rules set in place to ensure standardized utilization of personal space, as well as a code of silence and overall conduct when in the restroom with other men. The two schools of practice couldn’t possibly be any more different.
Take one look in a woman’s purse, or for that matter, notice the fact that women need purses at all, and this one becomes all too clear. A man’s bathroom sink might have a maximum of five items, including soap and a razor, whereas a woman’s bathroom will contain so many beauty products that the sink cannot possibly hold even a fraction of them. There will be a large cache under the sink, behind the mirror, and ringing the tub. The collection will be so immense, that a portion of it will permanently reside in the woman’s purse. Entire cabinets are usually added to the bathroom to hold more, as her collection expands, and all the while she will swear that each item is necessary.
A man can fall asleep anywhere, under any circumstances, and sleep well. Many men even prefer sleeping on the couch, as opposed to using the expensive mattress in the bedroom. In fact, many men’s mattresses are unused unless he has a woman over to share it with him. Women feel the need for not only the softest mattress on the market, but extravagant and voluminous piles of pillows, pillow-tops, and pillowy comforters, each in groups and layers, covering the bed until it no longer presents any sort of usably flat surface to sleep upon. Men usually admit to finding these beds immediately comfortable, but report aching backs for the rest of their lives because of them.
Men have the uncanny ability to find nearly anything humorous. Funny is funny, and whether the joke is appropriate or not doesn’t matter to most guys. Women, on the other hand, take offense rather quickly if they feel a subject is taboo, and they’re pretty vocal about it. Any man who’s ever worked in an office environment knows this all too well, and many have suffered repercussions from the nagging cubicle-neighbor that overheard the random off-color joke and went to HR about it. This same problem makes women hate most comedy movies guys count as their favorites.
When men go grocery shopping, they basically stock up on meat, and things that enhance meat, like bread, or cheese, or different types of meat for layering with bread and cheese. Men can be perfectly happy eating the same burger, sausage, or steak every night of the week. Women, on the other hand, would rather eat something that looks pretty than tastes like food. They make eating such an ordeal that it becomes a hassle to even bother, and this is partly the reason they are able to cope with eating so little. The compromise between these two views is always interesting as the kitchen-drama plays out in new relationships.
We look at a blue swatch and call it what it is; blue. Women look at the same swatch and declare it to be periwinkle blue. They then proceed to harangue us for not knowing our basic colors. This same mentality spans the entire gamut of design and aesthetics on a daily basis. Men quickly give up on any notion that they’ll be involved in decorating the house in any way, and find solace in the garage, where the distinct lack of any visually pleasing surfaces acts as a deterrent to most women on a home-makeover binge.
Jeans and a t-shirt — the quintessential male uniform. The truly amazing thing about this robust combination of garments is the innate customizability. A man can create any number of combinations by simply changing his shirt. Women will require no less than three closets to hold their expansive wardrobes, and that’s not including the separate shoe-racks that will hang from doors, and take space under the bed. Men will often compete to see who can actually wear the most relaxed outfit as a display of manly comfort, whereas women are in constant competition with each other over who can appear to be the most glamorous of the bunch. They will do this for no apparent reason.
To put it simply, women mollycoddle children and animals to a ridiculous extent. Kids are babied to the point that they aren’t allowed to get dirty, and dogs are ripped from their nobility and turned into dolls. Men, on the other hand, treat dogs as friends, cats as worthy adversaries, and children as miniature humans who should be held accountable for their own actions. The difference between the two standpoints is staggering.
Automobiles and Driving
The above footage shows, more or less, what every man is trying to say when he proclaims that women cannot drive. On top of that, every single part or piece of equipment on or about an automobile is known to women as a thingy. As for men, these things come a bit more naturally to them.
Women, for the most part, seem to have a mental block when it comes to handling anything technological with any sort of finesse or intuition. Men will instinctively begin figuring out how equipment works, what it does, what it can do, and what it’s good for, whereas women tend to require instruction, from a man, who preferably wears a name tag. Most women will gladly pay money to a kid in a Geek Squad outfit just to plug three simple wires into the back of her television, even after her male friends explain to her that the wires and plugs are color-coded.
The ways men and women handle stress are fundamentally different. Men generally handle bad situations by reacting in a proactive manner, feeling compelled to find a solution. Women almost invariably have the well-known panic reaction. Proof of this can be had any of the 13 times a day that women can be found crying, inexplicably.
Men have short memories. This sad fact routinely gets us in trouble as we forget the birthdays of our wives, mothers, sisters, even children. It also allows us to forgive and forget, bury the hatchet, and roll with the punches. Women remember everything, and they will never, ever let an issue die. You may forget what you did wrong, but a woman will remind you of it until the day you die. They will hold grudges, whether it’s with you, or their former bff, for years.
Men will communicate quickly and efficiently, with as little hassle as possible. If it’s easier to relay a message via third party, email, text message, or courier pigeon, then that’s how a man will communicate. Women feel the need to spend roughly one third of their waking hours talking. Whether they’re talking on the phone, or in person, women just plain talk too much. When she’s not busy yapping, she’ll be texting, or emailing, or both simultaneously. Men simply don’t feel the need to spend so much time communicating what doesn’t need to be expressed right away.
Men tend to be on time to planned events. They get to the theater early enough to get a good seat, and they get to the restaurant on time when invited out. Men don’t like being late, because it makes them look like they’re not in control. Women behave the exact polar opposite — they’re simply always late. They make it a point to be as late as possible, at all times, as though it were some sort of gauge for how much work they put into their appearance.
Women always harp on men for their supposed lack of multitasking prowess, when in reality it’s just that men aren’t as frivolous in their focus. Women insist on doing 47 things at once, without any consideration for the safety of themselves or others. They will constantly talk about how flustered they are, and how they narrowly averted disaster while not paying attention to their surroundings. Some women are just one diagnosis shy of being clinically ADHD, and some have even died due to their inability to focus on one single task.
