A new study has discovered that women are less likely to swipe right on a man holding a cat in his dating profile picture.
“Men holding cats were viewed as less masculine; more neurotic, agreeable, and open; and less dateable,” the authors of the study found, per People magazine in a piece published Monday.
“These results varied slightly depending on whether the women self-identified as a ‘dog person’ or a ‘cat person.,'” the study added. (RELATED: REPORT: Coachella Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears)
Study Claims Women Find Men Less “Dateable” When Photographed Holding A Cathttps://t.co/ArSl4P5GAV
— ALT 1037 (@ALT1037DFW) June 22, 2020
Researchers at Colorado State University showed 708 women, ages between 18 and 24, two different pictures of two men. In one photo, the men were holding a cat as each posed for the snap. In the second one, the men appear without holding one. (RELATED: Bob Iger Defends Marvel Franchise After Famous Directors Called Them ‘Despicable’)
According to the report:
The women were then asked to rate the men on several attributes, including perceived personality, perceived masculinity or femininity, and perceived dateability, with scientists “asking directly if each participant would consider dating the man in the photo for a short or long term” period.
The results came back a resounding positive for those men posing without a cat, with 38 percent of women stating they were likely or very likely to casually date the man and 37 percent considering getting in a serious relationship with him, 9 percent were not interested at all.
However, when the women were shown the exact same man but with a cat, the percentage of women who were interested in casually dating and having a serious relationship with him dropped to 33 percent, and those who did not want to get involved with him at all jumped to 14 percent.
“It is important to note that these findings were influenced by whether the female viewer self-identified as a ‘dog’ or ‘cat’ person, suggesting that American culture has distinguished ‘cat men’ as less masculine, perhaps creating a cultural preference for ‘dog men’ among most heterosexual women in the studied age group,” the study explained.
“Women prefer men with ‘good genes,’ often defined as more masculine traits,” the study added. “Clearly, the presence of a cat diminishes that perception.”
Well, there you have it guys!