It turns out we’re all getting it wrong. A new study published in PLOS One has revealed that men and women have major misconceptions about what the opposite sex actually finds attractive.
Researchers in the UK asked 144 participants, with an average age of 22, to modify a 3D model of a male or female face to reflect what they believed the other gender found most attractive—both for short-term and long-term relationships.
The results? Both men and women exaggerated their ideas of what’s considered desirable.
According to the study, men assumed women preferred hyper-masculine features—think strong jawlines and rugged looks—far more than they actually did. Meanwhile, women believed men were most drawn to ultra-feminine features, like delicate faces and full lips, more than they really were.
This suggests that society’s beauty ideals, often reinforced by plastic surgery trends and social media, don’t necessarily align with real-world attraction.
Interestingly, men also believed that women preferred more masculine features in a partner for short-term flings than for long-term relationships—but the study found that women didn’t actually make that distinction.
Another key takeaway? People who were less satisfied with their own facial features were even worse at predicting the opposite sex’s preferences. The study suggests that personal insecurities can warp perceptions of what others actually find attractive.
The findings reinforce previous research showing that physical appearance is only one part of the equation. Factors like posture, confidence, and kindness play a major role in attraction—perhaps explaining the rise of the “dad bod” appeal.
So, while social media might push “looksmaxxing” and the latest beauty fads, this study suggests it may be time to focus less on extremes and more on the qualities that truly make someone attractive.
Source: New York Post
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