There is no clear-cut formula to attraction, but recent studies have shown that intelligence may not be the end-all-be-all for a majority of women. Beyond physical attractiveness, several studies would suggest that humor plays a larger role in the courting process for women than previously assumed.
A 2021 experiment by psychologist Julie C. Driebe and colleagues assessed men on a sliding scale for the strength of various qualities (humor, intelligence, etc.) and then had a group of women reassess the men’s qualities after a “speed date” and then rate their overall attractiveness.
The results showed that while women could guess male participants’ intelligence with relative precision, a higher intelligence did not result in a higher level of attractiveness. Humor was much more affective at creating attraction, though interpretations of the study suggest that humor relates to intelligence.
It is important to note that female participants in the study often correlated a better humor with higher intelligence, but did not consider high intelligence a correlation to humor. One of Driebe’s previous studies suggested that a higher intelligence could detract from a woman’s attraction to a man.
Still, it’s safe to say women aren’t seeking out unintelligent men! In fact, a similar speed dating study by Columbia University suggested that women value intelligence in a partner twice as much as men do, and that men prefer a female partner’s intelligence to be no higher than their own.
Sources:
Scientists figured out what men and women really want in a mate – The Washington Post
Intelligent Men May Not Be as Attractive as We Thought | Psychology Today
