When coping with life's twists and turns, men apparently want something to grab hold of.
Researchers have found during times of stress, they are attracted to heavier women.
The
study suggests if work or finances are playing on their minds, they are
more likely to turn to a lady with the figure of shapely
Nigella Lawson
than skinny Angelina Jolie.
Psychologists at the University of
Westminster in London tested 80 white British men of normal weight – of
which half underwent a difficult group interview exercise designed to
make them feel uneasy.
Afterwards they all looked at a series of pictures of women of varying sizes from emaciated to obese.
While none of the men found the most
extreme bodies at either end of the spectrum attractive, those in the
'stress' group showed a marked preference for those on the heavier side.
Lead author Dr Viren Swami
said when socioeconomic or personal circumstances are threatening or
uncertain, men go for 'more mature' physical characteristics.
The researchers believe this is
because men subconsciously think these women will also be mature in
personality and better able to handle a crisis.
Dr Swami said: 'Body size appears to be an important signal of both physical and psychological maturity…
'Physical
maturity is associated with the ability to handle threatening
situations and may communicate attributes such as strength, control and
independence during periods when such qualities should be most desired.'
The
40 men who had not undergone a stress test had a narrower range of
women they considered attractive – who tended to be slim.
But
those who had the stress test not only rated a larger woman as their
'ideal' body type, they found a wider range of body sizes attractive
right up to some of the most overweight women.
Scientists
call this the 'Environmental Security Hypothesis' which suggests our
attractions change depending on our circumstances.
The
authors said: 'We found that the experience of stress shifted men's
body size preferences, such that heavier female body sizes were rated
more positively.
'That is,
men in who were stressed rated women of normal weight, overweight, and
partially at least, obese BMI categories as more attractive than the
control group.'
They added
that this may explain reports that some cultures, in which many people
are deprived of resources, are known to value a larger body size than
societies where most people's material needs are met.
'Such
body types are associated with better ability to handle environmental
threat', they said writing in the journal PLoS ONE (KEEP).
In
2008, researchers who looked through 46 years of Playboy centrefolds
concluded that the models had larger waists in recession years.
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ReplyDelete