Pacific Standard July-August 2013 Cover

The Mating Advantage of Male Musicians

May 6, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
male-musician

For women, it seems, there’s something about a man holding an instrument. That’s the conclusion of a just-published study from France, which found a man is more attractive to the opposite sex if there’s a guitar in his hand. Its results confirm the findings of a similar study from Israel published last year. Across cultures, the research would suggest, male musicians are viewed as promising mating material. The more recent study, in France, was conducted by a team of researchers led by Nicolas Guéguen of the Universite de Bretagne-Sud, and published in the journal Psychology of ... Read More

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Gay Men, Straight Women: What’s the Attraction?

February 18, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
Chris Colfer as Kurt and Lea Michele as Rachel in 'Glee'

From the title characters of Will and Grace to Kurt and Rachel on Glee, television comedies have picked up on an apparently widespread phenomenon: intense friendships between gay men and straight women. But in real life, what cements this often-close bond? Newly published research provides a plausible, albeit partial, answer: their unique ability to provide clear-headed counsel regarding romantic relationships. “Our results suggest that straight women and gay men perceive mating advice provided by each other to be more trustworthy than similar advice offered by other individuals,” a ... Read More

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Chasing the Wrong Guys? Blame Your Hormones

May 15, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment

Women: Did you notice the hot guy eyeing you from the other end of the bar? Wouldn’t he make a devoted mate, and maybe even a great father? Pay no attention to that voice in your head. It’s your hormones speaking. New research suggests that, around the time of ovulation, many women attribute attractive qualities to sexually desirable men. Specifically, women are more likely to believe that handsome, charismatic guys—even those who are clearly out only for some short-term action—will turn out to be faithful husbands and doting dads. “When presented with a romantic offer from ... Read More

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Violence and Aggression Linked to Mating in Men’s Minds

March 28, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment

Guys: What do you feel when you look at a photo of an attractive woman? Excited? Intrigued? How about warlike? Such a response may seem strange or even offensive. But newly published psychology study suggests it is far from uncommon — and it may help explain the deep psychological roots of warfare. With yet another war in full swing, we once again face the fundamental question of why groups of humans settle their differences through organized violence. A wide range of motivations have been offered over the years: In a 2002 book, Chris Hedges compellingly argued that war is both an ... Read More

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Romantic Rivals Spur Religiosity

November 17, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment

If you're in the market for a mate and you encounter evidence of just how much competition is out there, what do you do? For a lot of people, the answer seems to be: Start praying. According to a newly published study, college students who viewed photos of attractive people of their own gender described themselves as "significantly more religious" than their peers. In contrast, viewing photos of attractive members of the opposite sex — that is, potential mates — had no impact on the personal piety meter. Writing in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, a research team led ... Read More

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