3 ms·

Study of sapiosexuality suggests some really are attracted to intelligence

26 points by ohjeez 9y ago

gigatexal 9y ago
Is anyone really attracted to someone who isn’t smart. Sure you don’t need to be a PHd. but, at least for me, you need to be able to have an informed opinion on things to be able to hold an interesting conversation. I’m so glad my wife meets that for me, we have great back and forth on things.
- HarryHirsch 9y ago
  Not too long ago on this forum someone mentioned a paper where they showed photographs of the male torso to women. The outcome was that the most muscular was considered most attractive. Didn't look at the details, though.
  - dogma1138 9y ago
    It’s like there is more than one attribute that governs attraction, should i publish?
  - gph 9y ago
    Yea, but having a muscular torso doesn't preclude the male from being intelligent as well. People look at attraction in too much of a binary way. I would think it's most likely that humans look for both physical and intellectual prowess in their mates. There might at times be a bit of a trade-off between the two, but likely we're trying to optimize for getting as best we can in both categories.
  - fellellor 9y ago
    Adding the whole pic would have introduced features which affect attractiveness in an inversely proportional manner, unlike the male torso I suppose.
- Kalium 9y ago
  There are definitely people in this world who are not attracted to people who are of a dramatically different level of intelligence than them. Sometimes that means someone isn't attracted to a brilliant intellect because they feel inadequate.
  - ohjeez 9y ago
    Definitely. My husband had two previous relationships break up because, the women (each) said, "You're too smart for me." My first marriage was much the same way. I didn't articulate it at the time (there were other problems), but he lost my attention... not because he couldn't keep up, but because I got tired of never being intellectually challenged. (He was and is a nice guy, just not the right one for me. I should have realized this when I discovered he owned one [count it one] book to be read for pleasure.)

26 points by ohjeez 9y ago

Is anyone really attracted to someone who isn’t smart. Sure you don’t need to be a PHd. but, at least for me, you need to be able to have an informed opinion on things to be able to hold an interesting conversation. I’m so glad my wife meets that for me, we have great back and forth on things.

HarryHirsch 9y ago
Not too long ago on this forum someone mentioned a paper where they showed photographs of the male torso to women. The outcome was that the most muscular was considered most attractive. Didn't look at the details, though.
- dogma1138 9y ago
  It’s like there is more than one attribute that governs attraction, should i publish?
- gph 9y ago
  Yea, but having a muscular torso doesn't preclude the male from being intelligent as well. People look at attraction in too much of a binary way. I would think it's most likely that humans look for both physical and intellectual prowess in their mates. There might at times be a bit of a trade-off between the two, but likely we're trying to optimize for getting as best we can in both categories.
- fellellor 9y ago
  Adding the whole pic would have introduced features which affect attractiveness in an inversely proportional manner, unlike the male torso I suppose.
Kalium 9y ago
There are definitely people in this world who are not attracted to people who are of a dramatically different level of intelligence than them. Sometimes that means someone isn't attracted to a brilliant intellect because they feel inadequate.
- ohjeez 9y ago
  Definitely. My husband had two previous relationships break up because, the women (each) said, "You're too smart for me." My first marriage was much the same way. I didn't articulate it at the time (there were other problems), but he lost my attention... not because he couldn't keep up, but because I got tired of never being intellectually challenged. (He was and is a nice guy, just not the right one for me. I should have realized this when I discovered he owned one [count it one] book to be read for pleasure.)