Scientists claim modest men make better lovers
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They say nice guys finish last. But scientists claim that adage is myth – at least when it comes to relationships.
Several studies have found that selfless behaviour in both men and women can make them more attractive to a potential sexual partner.
In a recent study of 459 college students, for instance, young women and men were more likely to be satisfied with their partners the more they felt they were modest and respectful.
Several studies have found that selfless behaviour in both men and women can make them more attractive to a potential sexual partner. In a recent study of 459 college students, for instance, young women and men were more likely to be satisfied with their romantic partners the more they felt they were modest and respectful
The study questioned students who had been hurt or offended by their partners in the last two months, and rated how their perceived their partners in terms of humility.
The research, led by the University of North Texas, found that students were more committed to the relationship if they thought their partner was modest, despite catching them cheating.
The research could help in our understanding of how natural selection can favour behaviours that involve investing significant time in helping others.
Both sexes rated potential partners for a long-term relationship as more attractive when they were told that the person had invested in altruistic acts
'There is support for the proposition that humility can help repair and form relationships with strong social bonds,' the researchers wrote.
It follows a recent study from the University of Nottingham and Liverpool John Moores University who conducted an experiment with 32 women and 35 men, asking them to rate the attractiveness of the opposite sex based on a list of qualities.
These included attributes that were selfless such as 'he does the shopping for his elderly neighbour', and those that were considered neutral such as preferences for food.
The results showed that both sexes rated potential partners for a long-term relationship as more attractive when they were told that the person had invested in altruistic acts.
At first glance, it's difficult to see how natural selection could favour behaviours that involve investing significant time and resources to help others at a cost to oneself,' said Dr Freya Harrison, a Research Fellow in the University of Nottingham's Life Sciences Centre for Biomolecular Sciences.
An additional factor that researchers have started to investigate is that 'altruistic' acts might make someone more attractive to the opposite sex, increasing their chances of having children and passing on their genes.
'We're not sure whether being helpful to others signals that you're more likely to be a good parent who helps your partner with the work involved in raising children, or whether it might be a signal that you carry "good genes" that will produce healthy children,' added Dr Harrison.
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