WAIT, WHAT? Study Shows Brainy Women Turn Off Men
FHM by John Paulo Aguilera
It is said that men nowadays are beginning to prefer substance over style when it comes to choosing women. Having the looks isn't enough; a sensible gal more likely catches the fancy of the opposite six.
Although apparently, not to the point where a woman's intelligence threatens a guy's masculinity.
In a two-part study to be published in the November edition of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 105 men were given by researchers a hypothetical scenario wherein they either outperformed or were beaten by a woman in a math or English course. After which, they were told to imagine the female as a romantic partner.
What they found out: "Men formed favorable impressions and showed greater interest in women who displayed more (versus less) intelligence than themselves."
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The thing is, this is just half of the analysis.
The same men were then told they were about to meet a woman who got either a better or worse score than what they had. Fellows who were assigned to smarter dates "distanced themselves more from her, tended to rate her as less attractive, and showed less desire to exchange contact information or plan a date with her."
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Wait, what?
Researchers have this as the main culpritt: the ever-fragile male ego. "Feelings of diminished masculinity accounted for men's decreased attraction toward women who outperformed them in the live interaction context."
To address this age-old intrapersonal dilemma, experts like psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo suggest, "Take steps to boost your self-worth by focusing on your own values, strengths and contributions to others."
Word.