Want a better boyfriend? Go Slumming (in the looks department that is,)

April 16, 2008     Posted in News

 


By CC Staff

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We have all seen those mismatched couples from time to time, the beautiful, could-be model, and her boyfriend – who compared to her has a striking resemblance to Steve Buscemi. Yes, we’ve seen those lovebirds, and while there is a moment of silent “thank God that girl is off the market” (because, sometimes it’s a relief to see the hot ones are out of the competition pool) there is also a question of how the hell he scored such a pretty girl?

Well, the secrets out. According to a recent study by lifescience.com, women date and/or marry less attractive men not for their piggy banks (or maybe not just for their piggy banks…) but because men are found to be much more supportive and committed to a woman when she is more attractive than him.

The article explains that when the woman is more attractive than her male counterpart the man feels he is getting more than he deserves and will work harder to keep the woman happy. On the other hand, when the man feels he is more attractive than his lady he feels less satisfied and more “is the grass greener on the other side?”

On the flip side women value security (financial and emotional) and height. Thus, it’s easier for a girl to slum given he has something else to bring to the table.

I am not sure how this philosophy pans out in real life, but I know it has infiltrated TV. Think King of Queens, Monica and Chandler of Friends, Fred and Wilma Flintstone, even Flavor Flav has girls WAY better looking than him (okay, that’s not saying tons) but it’s a solid pattern amongst our favorite TV couples. Yeah, they are fictional but for what it’s worth, it does seem to ring a bit true.

Take what you will from the study, but another morsel of food for thought, maybe all those beer-goggle warnings were a bit hasty.

4 Comments on "Want a better boyfriend? Go Slumming (in the looks department that is,)"

  1. Ree says:
    Wed, 16th Apr 200810:23 am 

    Eh I don't know so much about that. Looks aren't everything. I dated a guy once and people looked at us just as you mentioned in the article 'what is SHE doing with a guy like HIM?'. Not that he was ugly… but he wasn't the most attractive thing on the market and my best friend told me constantly that I didn't need to 'settle' for him because I could get a much hotter guy. But I kept him around because I figured he would be good to me. Well, turns out he was a jerk just like all the others. So basically, don't lower your standards for an ugly guy – boys will be boys no matter what.

  2. K says:
    Wed, 16th Apr 200810:38 am 

    Wow….I don't even know where to begin. If looks are the basis of your relationship, then I don't think it's going to last very long. I think my boyfriend is attractive, but would other people? Maybe not. I don't really care. And when you see a good looking girl and a not so great looking guy, who the hell are we to say, why would she be with him? What business is it of ours? He could be the greatest guy out there, and treat her like an absolute Queen. Just because someone doesn't look like Brad Pitt, it doesn't mean you're "slumming"

  3. Erica - Kent State says:
    Wed, 16th Apr 20082:51 pm 

    I feel like I do see this a lot, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that when you get into a relationship, the person you're with become a lot more attractive to you. Blame it on hormones, blame it on love, whatever – but I always think a guy is SO MUCH HOTTER months into our relationship (like, after I get to know him and find out he has an amazing personality) than I ever do beforehand. It also works the other way around – a hot guy can seem suddenly FUGLY when he has an awful personality.

  4. Erica - Kent State says:
    Wed, 16th Apr 20082:52 pm 

    And maybe the "ugly" guys do develop better personalities to make up for their lack of looks. Ugly duckling syndrome or something, right?

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