Forget romance, researchers say you really CAN laugh a girl into bed

Wittier people are classed as more attractive for a short-term fling
Funny woman are seen as more receptive to sexual advances

By
Victoria Woollaston

PUBLISHED:

16:34 GMT, 29 April 2013

|

UPDATED:

16:35 GMT, 29 April 2013

What does it take for a man to get a girl into bed? It's a question that has puzzled men for generations - but now psychologists have got the answer.

Forget champagne, chocolates and the rest - they key is wit, they say.

According to Psychologist magazine 'wittier people were seen as particularly attractive for a short term fling.'

Telling jokes and being witty makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, according to a study from the University of Stirling

Telling jokes and being witty makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, according to a study from the University of Stirling.

TOP 10 SEXIEST COMEDIANS

1. Sarah Silverman

2. Dylan Moran

3. Shappi Khorsandi

4. Noel Fielding

5. Chelsea Handler

6. Russell Brand

7. Nina Conti

8. Russell Howard

9. Lucy Porter

10. Chris Rock

Source: Dave

Researcher Mary Cowan at the University
of Stirling, and Anthony Little filmed 40 psychology students - half men
and half women - explaining which two items they'd take to a desert
island and why, choosing from chocolate, hairspray or a plastic bag.

Even though they hadn't been told about humour, 19 of the 40 students tried to be funny in their responses.

These 19 students were then categorised as 'actors'.

The next 11 students were played audio recordings of the actors' answers and asked to rate them for funniness, and for the attractiveness.

Each actor was then rated for whether they would be most suitable for a short term relationship, such as dates or one-night stands, or for a long term relationship.

Finally the 11 students were shown photos of the 19 actors.

The magazine revealed that 'a key result is that attractive actors were judged to be funnier.'

It added 'men who were considered funnier also tended to be considered more attractive for both short and long term relationships but especially short term.'

Sarah Silverman

Dylan Moran

Proving funny can be sexy: Sarah Silverman and Dylan Moran topped TV channel Dave's sexiest comedians.

Cowan and Little's study found that the funnier a participant was, the more attractive they were to other members of the group.

A follow-up study found that funniness ratings were 'very similar to rating for perceived flirtatiousness and that this perceived flirtatiousness explained the link between funniness and appeal for a fling.'

Male wit was found to score more highly for short term flings rather than long term 'because it nurtures an impression of not being serious or willing to invest in a mate'.

But female wit may be perceived by men as attractive for short term flings because it's taken as a sign 'that she will be receptive to his advances.'

The magazine, published by the British Psychological Society, concluded that men use humour to show off their intelligence and good genes to women.