There are many, many different attributes a person looks for in their romantic partner. Decades worth of research suggests that while many of these characteristics have to do with the way a person looks (yes, we can be that shallow in that we prefer partners who look like us), new research also suggests that women prefer mates who are recognized by their peers for their skills, abilities, and achievements.

The study also found women were turned off by men who showed overly aggressive or coercive tactics, except when they used them against another man in a sporting competition. As the article notes, when considering prospective partners for long-term relationships, women’s preferences for dominance decrease, and their preferences for prestige increase:

“These findings directly contradict the dating advice of some pop psychologists who advise men to be aggressive in their social interactions. Women most likely avoid dominant men as long-term romantic partners because a dominant man may also be domineering in the household,” the authors conclude.

The key findings from this new research is that context is important — displaying certain characteristics at an inopportune moment and you could turn off your potential partner. Men who keep the aggressiveness in check when dating will likely come off more attractive to more women.

Read the full article: Women’s Preference in Mates

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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10 Keys to a Successful Romantic Relationship | Job Searching Blog (1/18/2009)

    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 20 Dec 2008
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