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Study: What women, men really want

Posted on: Friday, 6 February 2009, 11:35 CST

Men are more interested in an educated woman who is a good financial prospect, while women are interested in a man who wants a family, U.S. researchers said.

University of Iowa sociologists Christine Whelan and Christie Boxer analyzed results of a 2008 survey of more than 1,100 undergraduates at the University of Iowa, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia and Pennsylvania State University.

Since the 1930s, researchers have asked college students to rank a list of 18 characteristics they'd prefer in a mate from irrelevant to essential.

Today, both male and female college student rank love and attraction as most important; yet a few generations ago it didn't even make the top three. Both men and women want a mate with dependable character and emotional stability. Both sexes ranked chastity dead last. Men and women ranked similar political background as unimportant.

Marriage used to be a practical arrangement. Getting married for love or attraction was considered foolish and perhaps even dangerous, Whelan, author of Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman's Guide to True Love said in a statement. These results are consistent with the rise in educational and career opportunities for women, and men's increasing desire to share the financial burdens with a future spouse.

In the 1930s males sought a dependable, kind woman who had skills in the kitchen and chastity was more important than intelligence, while women sought a man with emotional stability, dependable character and ambition.

Source: United Press International

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