Rey C.
Racing is life... anything else is just waiting.
Scientists think men naturally look for curvier mates when under stress because of an instinctual belief that added pounds point to an ability to handle a crisis.
In tough times, size really does matter.
Men are more attracted to heavier women during periods of heightened stress, according to a study published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Researchers at the University of Westminster in London studied a group of 81 men, half of whom were put in anxiety-inducing situations, like simulated job interviews. The other half got to kick back and relax.
Both groups were then asked to look at pictures of women of various sizes, from emaciated to obese, and rate them based on physical attractiveness.
While neither group expressed interest in either end of the spectrum, the men in the stressed group consistently rated photos of normal and overweight women higher than snapshots of skinny women.
It turns out that men may prefer the heavier set during rougher periods thanks to biological impulses, the study's authors said.
In difficult times, like starvation or a crashing economy, both men and women tend to turn to those who have a couple extra pounds since a more physically robust body seems to suggests that the person can better handle a crisis — a theory known as the Environmental Security Hypothesis.
"The experience of stress may lead to a general preference for more mature physical traits in a potential partner because such traits are associated with improved ability to handle environmental stress," the study's authors wrote.
This is not the first time that researchers have looked into the connection between male reactions to body size and tough times.
Researchers at Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania studied the facial and body characteristics of Playboy's Playmates of the Year from 1960 to 2000 and found that the cover girls boasted larger waistlines during times of recession.
In tough times, size really does matter.
Men are more attracted to heavier women during periods of heightened stress, according to a study published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Researchers at the University of Westminster in London studied a group of 81 men, half of whom were put in anxiety-inducing situations, like simulated job interviews. The other half got to kick back and relax.
Both groups were then asked to look at pictures of women of various sizes, from emaciated to obese, and rate them based on physical attractiveness.
While neither group expressed interest in either end of the spectrum, the men in the stressed group consistently rated photos of normal and overweight women higher than snapshots of skinny women.
It turns out that men may prefer the heavier set during rougher periods thanks to biological impulses, the study's authors said.
In difficult times, like starvation or a crashing economy, both men and women tend to turn to those who have a couple extra pounds since a more physically robust body seems to suggests that the person can better handle a crisis — a theory known as the Environmental Security Hypothesis.
"The experience of stress may lead to a general preference for more mature physical traits in a potential partner because such traits are associated with improved ability to handle environmental stress," the study's authors wrote.
This is not the first time that researchers have looked into the connection between male reactions to body size and tough times.
Researchers at Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania studied the facial and body characteristics of Playboy's Playmates of the Year from 1960 to 2000 and found that the cover girls boasted larger waistlines during times of recession.
