Is it possible to have sex with a person for whom you feel no physical attraction? A study has looked into the question, and concludes that yes… provided you are a man.
- Men are more willing than women to engage in short-term sex with a partner they are not physically attracted to.
For people looking for a partner, finding someone who matches their beauty criteria can be complicated, whether you are looking for true love or a casual partner. Is it then possible to review its threshold of requirement and thus to have sexual relations without any attraction?
In a new study, published in the journal Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, researchers in psychology have looked into this question. And conclude to a difference between women and men: while the former generally refuse to start short and long-term relationships with physically unattractive people, men can sometimes ignore their lack of desire.
No concession on the physique on the women’s side
To reach this conclusion, the researchers asked 186 participants to rate for long-term and short-term relationships photographs of people of the opposite sex who were considered unattractive.
The results showed that while the participants did not find the targets highly desirable or physically attractive, the men were on the other hand more willing than the women to have casual sex. They were also more likely than women to consider a long-term relationship with a physically unattractive partner who has other qualities. What the women were not ready to do.
“Our discussion focuses on the mating decisions of males and females when potential mates do not meet minimum thresholds of physical attractiveness. Future research is needed to explore the magnitude of the effect of the impairment or not minimum thresholds of physical attractiveness”conclude the authors of the study.
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