Mothers tend to have lower standards when picking a date
- A study challenged mothers and daughters to choose potential partners
- Mothers chose men who were reasonably attractive, but with good personalities
- But young women preferred attractive men, regardless of personality
Shivali Best For Mailonline
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Most women would like to think that they aren’t superficial, but when it comes to dating, it seems this might not be the case.
A study challenged mothers and daughters to choose potential partners, and showed that they prioritise very different things.
While mothers will choose a man who is only reasonably attractive, daughters prefer an attractive man – no matter how respectful, friendly, ambitious or intelligent he may be.
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While mothers will choose a man who is only reasonably attractive, daughters prefer an attractive man – no matter how respectful, friendly, ambitious or intelligent he may be (stock image)
LOOKS OR PERSONALITY?
Results of the study showed that physical attractiveness strongly influenced how women and their mothers saw the men, with the attractive and moderately attractive ones being rated the highest.
Men with the most desirable personality profiles were rated more favourably than their coutnterparts, but only when they were at least moderately attractive.
And even when unattractive men possessed the most desirable traits, both the mothers and daughters did not view them as potential dating material.
Daughters were found to be pickier than their parents when choose mates.
Mothers rated all men, even the least attractive ones, as potentially desirable partners for their daughters, while the younger women did not.
Researchers from the Eastern Connecticut State University looked at the dating preferences of 80 women between the ages of 15 and 29 years old, and one, or both of their parents.
Women were shown colour photographs of three men, varying in attractiveness.
Each photograph was paired with one of three trait profiles.
The ‘respectful’ profile included the traits ‘respectful, trustworthy, and honest’, while the ‘friendly’ profile included being ‘friendly, dependable and mature.’
And the ‘pleasing’ profile meant that the man was ‘of a pleasing disposition, ambitious and intelligent.’
The women were asked to rate the photographs and trait descriptions in response to how attractive they found the man, how favourably they rated his description, and whether they would date that person (or in the parents’ case, want their daughter to date them).
Results showed that physical attractiveness strongly influenced how women and their mothers saw the men, with the attractive and moderately attractive ones being rated the highest.
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Men with the most desirable personality profiles were rated more favourably than their counterparts, but only when they were at least moderately attractive.
And even when unattractive men had the most desirable traits, both the mothers and daughters did not view them as potential dating material.
Dr Madeleine Fugère, lead author of the study, said: ‘We conclude that a minimum level of physical attractiveness is a necessity for both women and their mothers.’
Daughters were found to be pickier than their parents when choosing mates.
Results showed that physical attractiveness strongly influenced how women and their mothers saw the men, with the attractive and moderately attractive ones being rated the highest (stock image)
Mothers rated all men, even the least attractive ones, as potentially desirable partners for their daughters, while the younger women did not.
Dr Fugere said: ‘This may signal that unattractiveness is less acceptable to women than to their mothers.
‘It might also mean that women and their mothers may have different notions of what constitutes a minimally acceptable level of physical attractiveness, with mothers employing a less stringent standard than their daughters.’
Despite these results, when women and their parents were asked their opinion about potential mates, they always rated personality over attractiveness.
Dr Fugere added: ‘In doing so, they assume that the potential mates at least meet a minimally acceptable standard of physical attractiveness.
‘However, when a range of attractiveness levels is presented, physical attractiveness takes priority over other characteristics.’
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