Men More Likely To ‘Fall’ For Responsive Women, Study Suggests
Responsiveness, or the support for another’s needs and goals, may be one of those initial “sparks” necessary to fuel sexual desire and land a second date – according to a new study.
Researchers from the Interdisciplinary Centre (IDC) Herzliya, the University of Rochester, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, collaborated on three studies to observe people’s perceptions of responsiveness. They found that emotional connections and desires established on a first date, determine the fate of a potential relationship.
People often say that they seek a partner that is “responsive to their needs,” and that such a partner would arouse their sexual interest.
“Sexual desire thrives on rising intimacy and being responsive is one of the best ways to instil this elusive sensation over time,” lead researcher Gurit Birnbaum explains. “Our findings show that this does not necessarily hold true in an initial encounter, because a responsive potential partner may convey opposite meanings to different people.”
In the first study, the researchers examined whether responsiveness is perceived as feminine or masculine, and whether men or women perceived a responsive person of the opposite sex as sexually desirable. Men who perceived female partners as more responsive also perceived them as more feminine, and more attractive.
However, the association between responsiveness and male partner’s masculinity was not significant for women.
Women’s perceptions of partner responsiveness were marginally and negatively associated with perceptions of partner attractiveness.
Participants in the second study were asked to interact with a responsive or non-responsive individual of the opposite sex, and view that individual’s photo (the same photo was given to each participant).
Furthermore, women are more cautious than men when interpreting a stranger’s expressions of responsiveness, and their perceptions of the stranger, which were seemingly unaffected by perceived responsiveness, may reflect conflicting trends among different women. “Some women, for example, may interpret responsiveness negatively and feel uncomfortable about a new acquaintance who seems to want to be close. Such feelings may impair sexual attraction to this responsive stranger. Other women may perceive a responsive stranger as warm and caring and therefore as a desirable long-term partner,” explained Dr Birnbaum
In the third study, researchers tested the possibility that responsiveness may activate motivational mechanisms for men that fuel pursuit of either short-term or long-term sexual relationship opportunities.
A female partner’s actual responsiveness led men to perceive her as more feminine, and consequently to feel more sexually aroused.
Heightened sexual arousal, in turn, was linked to both increased perception of partner attractiveness and greater desire for a long-term relationship with that partner.
Women did not perceive a responsive man as less masculine, but even so, women did not find a responsive man as more attractive.
“We still do not know why women are less sexually attracted to responsive strangers; it may not necessarily have to do with ‘being nice.’ “Women may perceive a responsive stranger as less desirable for different reasons,” Prof. Birnbaum said.
“Women may perceive this person as inappropriately nice and manipulative (i.e., trying to obtain sexual favors) or eager to please, perhaps even as desperate, and therefore less sexually appealing.
Alternatively, women may perceive a responsive man as vulnerable and less dominant. Regardless of the reasons, perhaps men should slow down if their goal is to instil sexual desire.”
Their findings were published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Source of this article:
Supportive Women Turn Men On
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