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Are Muscular Men More Attractive?
Muscles. Hot or not?
UCLA professor David Frederick and colleagues have asked: Why is Muscularity Sexy? Conclusion:
[...] these studies suggest that men's physical features are related not only to women's expressed preferences for mates but also to men's and women's past mate choices and sex behaviors.
NOTE: Despite the many media reports - we need to understand that the subjects of the study were male and female undergraduates (aged 18-25) living in California, USA. Extrapolating that to all men and women everywhere is foolish.
One of the studies interviewed 99 male undergraduates about their sexual histories, and, to be honest - can you really believe they didn't "talk up" their exploits?
This fascinating paper actually includes 6 studies and is difficult to summarize. Here I will focus on just one of the studies:
- 141 college women aged around 20 looked at 6 computer generated images of men (created with MyVirtualModel.com).
- Note that only the images were shown to the women - not the labels (e.g. brawny, slender, etc).
- The women rated the images against four factors: sexual desirability, commitment, physical dominance (over other males), and volatility (e.g. bad temper).
Okay, deep-breath guys...
- Attractiveness, sexual desirability? The built and toned guys came tops. The chubby guy was bottom of the heap. Brawny guy still desirable but not as much as built and toned guy.
- Physical Dominance? Brawny and built were tops, the slender guy bottom.
- Commitment? Chubby guy voted the best, brawny and built the worst.
- Volatility? Slender guy the least volatile, with brawny and built the most volatile. I guess this is why skinny guys want to gain muscle.
The heads were deleted (by the study authors) to remove any ethnic or racial clue.
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151 Comments
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Created / Updated: January 18, 2012
I'm voting...
Brawny
Chubby
Built
Typical - Toned (tied)
Slender
but I've never liked skinny guys, and am almost always more attracted to those I think are more physically dominant. I like guys that look like they could protect me. And I'm pretty strong on my own :D
ReplyI have the same exact preference as Heather. I'd take a chubby guy over a skinny one any day. I love a chubby guy, but he has to be tall, too. Maybe it's just me, but I find them SO sexy. It's like dating a big, beefy football player. Yummy =)
ReplyThis survey is rather pointless. I think we already know that most women prefer a tall, well built handsome man over a fat or a skinny male;; that is unless the woman is a lesbian,,,LOL. I have been skinny from childhood, I've worked out with weights and kept myself in good condition, but I'm still on the skinny side because I can't gain weight. Hats off to all those very thin men who treat their female mate with respect. As for you women who married a strong well built male who abuses you?????
ReplyShut up.
I am 6"5', about 260lbs, not fat, and not exactly unattractive, and I get no attention from the women in comparison to the skinny guys. The skinny guys always steal the girls I like, and it's not because I'm some arrogant guy who looks in the mirror every day, I'm not (I go to the gym to get better at my sport, which is not bodybuilding). I don't feel confident in my body around girls, even with all the muscles, because the skinny surfer guys take up all the attention span of the woman. Girls I know you will hate this comment, but it's true, you don't like very strong men.
I'd be happy with what you have.
Replybuilt
brawny
toned
typical
slender
chubby
I prefer guys who are more similar to my build. The aim is not to protect me, but for us to conquer the world - together!
Replynice answer... to conquer the world
ReplyOh dear god, the desire to conquer the world together?
You just expressed word for word what I desire from a woman! Too bad girls many girls don't show this side of themselves to guys, as they seem to think all guys just want want some submissive girl.
ReplyWomen are so shallow :-)
Replyyea i know its like.. they love muscular dumb guys, but when it comes to a slim smart guy the dont like it! they are all about image some of them!
ReplyHey, don't stereotype! I'm extremely built and have an above average I.Q. Not like either helps me understand women. lol
ReplyThe fact that a guy is built does not necessarily mean that he's stupid and the fact that a guy is slender does not necessarily mean that he's smart. Besides research has shown that men are more into the physical attractiveness the opposite sex than women are so if we say that women are shallow then what can we say about ourselves?
ReplyFitness is correlated with intelligence, meaning that fit men are actually more intelligent. Of course some might argue such "muscle-extremes", are unhealthy, but I see no proof for it.
ReplyDumbest comment ever. There is no correlation whatsoever between intelligence and fitness.
ReplyActually there is.... Newsweek week of January 14 buddy...
ReplyIt takes intelligence to eat healthy, exercise, don't smoke/drink too much etc...
What is intelligent about having a huge IQ level but being fat and almost having a heart attack?
ReplyI do not think so, that women are shallow
Replyno, humans in general are shallow, not just women.
ReplyBecause men have absolutely no preference to a woman's appearance....
ReplyHey let's be true here.
I'm not judging or saying anything.
But it's all true.
Frankly speaking and being fair,
I'm not naming anyone or nor am I saying everyone
but so far.. it's true right, even guys have 'type'
they prefer girls with huge tits, beautiful girl, slim and tall. Nice body and ignore the chubbier or fat one.
The not-so-pretty one. The ones which doesn't have huge tits.
But at the end of the day, when it comes into a real relationship, they don't just look at the look right?
ReplyI mean come'on. Those are just 'preference' a.k.a our ideal type.
Hmm, I guess things get a bit more complicated with men who like female bodybuilders. Maybe they should look into that, too.
ReplySlender
Toned
Typical
Aannd the rest are knocking around there somewhere.
The slender guy in this example isn't even as slim as the one I'm with currently o.O
ReplyI just don't seem to be attracted to more muscular guys. It's not that I go out of my way to date slim ones, it's just that's how it winds up.
Slender is my top, I like tall and gangly guys. Muscle is not a turn on for me at all. And personality out weighs it all.
ReplyYou'll find him attractive if your in love with the guy!
Replyyes
ReplyIt makes me sad that stereotypically built guys are consider volatile. A lot of the built guys I know are big teddy bears... And a lot of the chubby guys I know are huge commitment-phobics!
ReplyWhat I know is that most women prefer a man who is larger than they are, and vice versa for men's preferences.
Which is why, at the gym, women typically want to become smaller and men want to get bigger. And I would rather be chubby than slender.
ReplyThis is interesting, but it seems a little circular. If you take only pictures of bodies rather than actual people, and ask what these people might be like based on these pictures (sexy, loyal, angry or whatever), then people are just going to respond with the cultural stereotypes they've been taught. What else are they given to go on? And they probably want to seem "right" or "normal" in their responses.
I could easily see a woman who falls for slender musician types in real life responding, when just given just a picture, that brawny guys are sexier or more angry or dominant because they're "supposed" to be.
So I wouldn't worry too much, non-brawny guys. Not that there aren't some women who like muscles, but I don't know how much this would matter in finding a real life mate.
It's nice to see this study discussed here with a little critical thought and not just the attention grabbing headline you see most places.
ReplyI think this 'study' is not about finding 'Mr. Right" , but rather about finding "Mr. Right Now" :-)
Replyoh wow really original >.>
ReplyBuilt
ReplyBrawny
Typical
Toned
Chubby
Slender
I like to exersize, and I'd like my mate to work out with me so here's my list
running-toned or slender
strength training-built or brawny
in Cleveland, the typical guy is chubby
I think its good to have shared interests and lifestyle. Must love Bowflex ;)
ReplyI love to work out every chane I get I have a weight machine,nordi-trac,Total -Gym etc
ReplyJust upon looking at the images provided, I would have to vote:
Toned
Built
Slender
Brawny
Typical
Chubby
But the history of men that I have dated has generally been Slender (including my husband) with some Toned and Typical.
But this does not really answer to personality - which is VERY important. Guy has to be funny and pleasant with a good work and family ethic. Though attractiveness is a factor (I would be lying otherwise), it just does not have the staying power that compatibility and personality bring.
ReplyI have considerably more muscle definition than my husband does. He was "typical" when we met, but now he's kind of morphed into "chubby", complete with love handles. He's definitely not a commitment-phobe. I wonder if chubby guys got voted high on commitment because women figure chubby guys won't be able to get another woman, so they stay with the one they've got. That's my husband's theory..."I've snagged a hot trophy wife, I don't have to work out anymore". I'm not saying I want him to be "built", but "toned" would be very nice.
ReplyMost Attractive
#1 slender
#2 toned
#3 typical
#4 built
#5 brawny
#6 chubby
I actually prefer skinny guys over muscular guys!
ReplyOf course, like most women, I fine chubby and overweight the least attractive!
Omg I completely agree. I like skinny guys better. All the big muscles just aren't attractive to me.
ReplyAgree with you two! Though I prefer toned men before slender I still also like the more "normal-built". Big muscles are not sexy, it looks like they're kinda fat or they seem to be addicted to workout. I hate those clips with "sexy men" because they always show men that look gorgeous in their faces but their bodies are not attractive!!
Reply