New research published in the November edition of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, has found that men are intimidated by the idea of partnering up with a more intelligent woman.
According to the study – which was conducted on 105 men by psychologists at the University of Buffalo, California Lutheran University and the University of Texas – men responded positively to hypothetical scenarios where a woman had either outperformed or underperformed them in an intelligence test.
“Men formed favourable impressions and showed greater interest in women who displayed more (versus less) intelligence than themselves,” the study states.
But, when they were confronted with the idea that they would meet a woman who scored higher than them in an intelligence test, the response was considerably less favourable, suggesting that men feel threatened by the physical presence of a smart woman.
“[The men] distanced themselves more from her, tended to rate her as less attractive and showed less desire to exchange contact information or plan a date with her,” the study found.
“Feelings of diminished masculinity accounted for men’s decreased attraction toward women who outperformed them in the live interaction context.”
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While every man can’t be painted with the same brush, the research provides interesting insights into the male psyche when you consider a school of previous studies that show that intelligence is one of the first traits a man looks for in a potential partner.
“The main thing that men are looking for is intelligence. Surveys have shown time and time again that this is the first thing that men look for,” Cambridge University Professor David Bainbridge was quoted saying in a Telegraph report.
“It shows that she will be able to look after his children and that her parents were probably intelligent as well, suggesting that she was well raised.”
The researchers did, however, warn that further research was required to confirm their findings, as their study didn’t explore the outcomes of a scenario where a man was in a relationship with a smarter woman.
Elizabeth Lombardo, a psychologist and author of Better than Perfect: 7 Strategies to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love, advises men to “focus on appreciating her strengths, including her intelligence and stop comparing yourself to her. Realise that this is an issue with your own self-esteem, not the fact that she is smart.”
Source: Telegraph, Market Watch