The accuracy of my results on Match.com's Ph.D.-formulated Physical Attraction Test depends somewhat on your definition of "large and lovely", but yeah, as I get older I do have more appreciation for fuller figures. I find it interesting that 40% of guys agree with me, but then again I've long told female-types that guys don't generally want girls as thin as girls think guys do. That's a subject for another time, though. The 40% figure could be self-selecting among those that are looking for dates online. Without saying anything negative about people knocking around singles web sites (I've done it before), they are disproportionately (though not exclusively!) people that have difficulty finding dates otherwise. Sometimes it's due to shyness or some personality trait, but I'd suspect that weight would also play a factor. The question then is whether or not the 40% was a part of the original PhD study or whether they're collecting statistics from people like me. On the whole, though, women are much more critical of excess weight on other women than men are on women.

Part of the reason for my attraction might well be due to my own weight, which is larger than healthy to be sure. In yesteryear I tended to be attracted to a vastly different type (short and skinny) than I am now. Whether or not that is a function of my not being as thin as I used to be or whether it's just a matter of growing up and freeing myself from more conventional standards of beauty I'm not sure. At the same time that my desired weight went up, my desired height went up, too. I think that's in part so that being with the person feels natural. There's nothing less natural looking that a 6'5" man dating a 5'2" girl. In college, I had a brief stint with a girl about that height and it was a bit odd. I was also with a girl that was 6' and grew to appreciate her height. My weight preference could have been a similar comfort matter. Of the Big Five girls in my past (and present), three express(ed) dissatisfaction with their weight. Since weight wasn't a factor for me in the relationships (accuracy of the phrase "relationship" varies) I began to have a greater appreciation for a softer structure. That and the aforementioned 5'2" bone-thin girl may have irreversably turned me off of thin girls forever...

Ultimately, I found it rather difficult to gauge attraction from the pictures because it was just a picture. A lot of physical attraction is, to me, about demeanor. Few of the girls in the pictures were smiling and a good smile goes an extraordinarily long way with me. As do factial expressions, body expressions, and the other things that can't be encapsulated in a picture. I include all of this under physical attraction because I can be utterly unattracted to their personality but still be physically attracted to a person that looks, smiles, and acts a certain way.

But I still found it enlightening. There are aspects of the test that I would change. The heightometer wasn't particularly helpful for me because I thought that the first picture was going to be the tallest girl they'd show. She was a bit too tall (if I was the drawing standing next to her, she'd have been 6'3" or so), so I put a low rating. Much to my surprise, she was actually the shortest and the tallest girl proportionally would have been 6'7" or so, which is taller than I'd go.

I did like the "which one would be attracted to you" portion. It harkens back to a phrase that Jay and I use often called "attainably attractive." To put it short, the likelihood that the girl might be also attracted to us made her more attractive to us. It's kind of like going to a discount furniture sail and looking at pieces of furnature for scratches and other imperfections. With those, the value of the furniture goes up considerably. The same is true for imperfections on a girl. Somehow that feeds on he and myself and those very flaws (assuming they're nothing major) actually become somewhat attractive to us. They become more human. We become more equal. We are all, in many ways, defined by our flaws. As such, the Carmen Electras are not generally what he and I are attracted to.

Once I was derailed from the "conventional beauty" train, I began to find that I appreciated some "flaws" more than others. I found that a little extra weight is a good thing, but that disproportion was unattractive. I also found that there are some conventional traits I still look for (long legs, for example). Eventually I carve out what my "type" physically is. Though, at the end of the day, how attractive I am to someone physically is highly dependent on personality. One of the reasons that I'm attracted to a good smile, for instance, is that I wouldn't want to be with someone that doesn't smile (or has a smile that looks fake). Physical attraction is a necessary, but not sufficient, trait.

[via Reactuate]


Thanks for taking Match.com's Ph.D.-formulated Physical Attraction Test, a revolutionary development in the world of relationships. This scientific system will help you narrow your search for those who are truly compatible with your physical preferences.

Below is the summary of your report. To view your complete test results, click here.
Or click here to search for single Match.com members who you'll find physically attractive.

Favorite Qualities

Your photo choices suggest a woman over 50 is probably getting a little old for your tastes

You seemed interested in dating a woman at least 25 or older

Wide, round chins

Long, oval-shaped faces

So-called "Ecto-Mesomorphs," with narrow chins and nicely angular faces

So-called "Endo-Mesomorphs," with full, oval faces

Favorite Looks
You find "Large and Lovely" women sexy. In addition to their full figures, these women typically have strikingly beautiful faces. Their big eyes and open (rather than crowded) faces convey a sense of warmth and acceptance that puts people at ease. Most have relatively beautiful skin, small noses and very full, luscious lips. They also take pride in their flawless makeup and long, gorgeous hair. Since the media tends to focus on very thin women, you may be surprised to learn that almost half of men (44%) say lovely, large women are among their favorite types.

We'd guess your first crush was on a "Tomboy." You also seemed to notice the healthy, active, and all-natural look, which was a common thread among your photo choices. Their sun-tanned faces are usually either long and narrow or square-like in shape. Either short or long and straight, these women don't invest a lot in big hairdos or wear a lot of makeup. They don't need to, since their good looks come across even hanging out on Saturday in a baseball cap. In fact, this is one way you (and the other 1 in 10 men (12%) who like this type) can find her.

Favorite Face Type
You picked photos of women with "Meso-Endomorph" faces more often than you picked most other face types. These women have perfectly oval faces that can be long and narrow or fuller in shape. Their gently curved jawline and prominent cheekbones are considered "classic" feminine features. Their large eyes, thick lips, and voluptuous figure also adds to a sense of "softness" and "warmth" these women typically convey. About 40% of other men especially prefer women with this face type.