Is the shape of your face ruining your chances of finding life-long love and therefore happiness and a satisfactory life? Some British scientists found that the shapes of women's heads are correlated to whether men consider them desirable for short or long-term relationships.
The study's participants were shown two composite versions of faces—one with more feminine or delicate features, the other with stronger, more masculine features. Feminine qualities include features like smaller jawlines or fuller cheeks. These features are usually associated with higher lever of estrogen as well as reproductive success.
The several hundred heterosexual men who participated in the study were more interested in women with "feminine" features for short-term flings, and women with "masculine" features for marriage or long-term relationships.
According to the study's authors, men "may actually prefer less attractive/feminine women" as long-term partners, because they say this might boost confidence regarding fidelity. People have also made this argument about women.
These researchers from University of Stirling and University of Glasgow, who presumably ran out of other things to study, published their work in the British Journal of Psychology.
[image via Jul Bezuglova/Shutterstock]