NEW YORK: Men with rugged jaws and chiselled, masculine facial features might have no problem getting dates but women don’t always see them as marriage material, according to a US study.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, found women may judge potential mates by how masculine their facial features are before getting to know them.

Researchers tested about 850 male and female undergraduates usually digitally altered pictures of male faces and found women viewed men with “masculine features” like prominent brow ridges and large jaws, as good short-term partners – but saw them as more likely to cheat on a spouse and get into fights.

Men with more “feminine features,” such as rounder faces and fuller lips, were viewed as better long-term partners by female participants who would likely make better parents and husbands.

“Women’s preferences depend on what type of partner she is looking for,” said the study’s author Daniel Kruger in a statement.

“She will prefer a highly masculine face for a short-term relationship where the potential genetic investment would be most important, and a more feminine face for a long-term relationship, where a stable, supportive relationship and ability and willingness to care for children would be more important.”

Kruger said male participants in the study, which was published recently in the journal “Personal Relationships,” drew similar conclusions based on men’s facial features.

When they were asked to choose a person to accompany their girlfriend on a weekend trip or as a potential son-in-law, they opted for men with more feminine features.

Kruger said according to this and other studies, the hormone testosterone may play a role in explaining facial preferences although further study was needed.

Testosterone promotes the development of male facial and sexual features, including prominent brow lines and larger jaws, which may be characteristics women want to pass on to their children.

But at the same time, increased testosterone has been linked to violent behaviour and spousal cheating so as a result, women may want longer-term relationships with less-masculine looking men.

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I like how Classmates has added further customization of profile pages, including the ability to create new pages featuring blogs, photo galleries and articles. If they can do it with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of members, what’s holding back dating sites from offering the same features? Most social nets offer some sort of customizability and personalization. Dating sites letting members express themselves in new ways, a novel concept indeed.

classmates, Features

Right after the holidays the thought of spending big bucks on another gift for your sweetheart can seem daunting. Just remember, it's not always the most expensive gift that makes for a great February 14th. You can accomplish the...

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Every year over 180 million Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the US alone. In fact, more than 50% of those cards are purchased in the six days leading up to February 14th. How's that for a procrastinator's delight?...

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I think I was around 19 years old when I became mildly interested in my co-worker, Jack. I fancied his voice and when you’re young, dumb, and pumped full of estrogen, that’s all it usually takes for a man to earn an eyebrow rise.

I casually made some inquires on Jack’s status and soon learned that he had a girlfriend. Now usually, a girlfriend is merely a small obstacle that can be quickly overcome, but in Jack’s case, this was a 4 year old relationship. At our age, a 4 year long relationship was an eternity. To me, that suggested that there were some real feelings between Jack and his girl. Maybe they were even in love.

Upon that realization, my mild interest abruptly turned to ‘I have to have him.’

The truth is women love to compete with other women. Women want to win men over. They want to be chosen by a man who could have any girl he wants. No woman of caliber wants to win a man by default. She wants her man to be a prize, a good catch, someone she can be proud of. When you tell a woman that her significant other is handsome or intelligent, she’ll likely beam with self satisfaction. In complimenting her man, you’ve complimented her. You have told her, in so many words, that she is capable of attracting a quality mate. The women who rail against this usually have a low self esteem and thus avoid competition because they fear they’ll always fail….or they’re ugly. You pick.

I’m not sure if this is socialization or biology. After all, how many men are constantly exclaiming that they couldn’t get a date to save their lives when they were single, only to snag a girlfriend and be surrounded by willing seducers? It happens all the freaking time. My situation was no exception.

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It looks like American Singles is the only dating site taking advantage of Valentine’s Day promotions by offering special affiliate banners. I’m surprised more sites are not doing this. An easy way to get out in front of affiliates, re-establish credibility and perhaps even drive some sales.

american+singles, Marketing

Eharmony needs a Product Manager and a Java/J2EE Developer to work on an emerging eHarmony service. I’m not sure what exactly the service is, let the rumors begin the the comments.

Dating Site, eharmony, Jobs