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For Online Daters, Women Peak at 18 While Men Peak at 50, Study Finds. Oy.

entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
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Oct 26, 2017
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In it, researchers studied the "desirability" of male and female users, based on how many messages nearly 200,000 users, all of whom were seeking opposite-sex partners, got over one month on a "popular, free online-dating service" — and if those sending the messages were desirable based on the same criteria.

The researchers determined that while men's sexual desirability peaks at age 50, women's starts high at 18 and falls from there.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/15/...-women-age.html#click=https://t.co/jyBS69kjRn

Not too different findings from the excellent research from the OKTrends blog by OKCupid.
 
BluePigGanon

BluePigGanon

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Oct 27, 2017
892
All I know is I'm in my early 40s and I was just having a conversation with some male friends the other day where we were all saying/agreeing how disturbingly young college girls look. They look like f-ing high school kids to us. 18 is definitely not peak attractiveness for a woman, I'd put it more in the 25-35 range.
 
Deepthought_

Deepthought_

Banned
May 15, 2018
1,992
User Banned (5 Days): sexism
Overall men like younger women

And even though I'm a heterosexual man imo if a man takes care of himself we age a lot better
 
Zeno

Zeno

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Oct 25, 2017
9,150
I've always been more attracted to women my age or older so far in my life.
 
TJG662

TJG662

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Oct 25, 2017
624
California
Women look more for emotional bonds that last a life time . Men want a hot young women forever. This is not everyone but it is a large number I would guess.
 
OP
OP
entremet

entremet

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Oct 26, 2017
59,914
Other findings from the article:

Speaking of earning potential, Dr. Bruch also found that a man's desirability increased the more education he attained.

For women, that benefit ended with an undergraduate degree — and postgraduate education, in fact, made them less desirable
 
OP
OP
entremet

entremet

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Oct 26, 2017
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Callhitman said:
Women look more for emotional bonds that last a life time . Men want a hot young women forever. This is not everyone but it is a large number I would guess.
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Seems very sweeping. Remember this is specifically with online dating, which has different dynamics. Many use online dating for casual flings alone.
 
Metanoia Prime

Metanoia Prime

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Oct 26, 2017
4,153
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entremet said:
Other findings from the article:

Speaking of earning potential, Dr. Bruch also found that a man's desirability increased the more education he attained.

For women, that benefit ended with an undergraduate degree — and postgraduate education, in fact, made them less desirable
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Thought process: she's too smart for me, and I don't want to feel inferior.

But honestly, it's about having the right partner.

My wife has a master's (I'm barely halfway through my AA), and she earns significantly more than me right now, but she is a tremendous wife and we have no issues with what you would probably consider a "traditional" marriage dynamic.
 

Avinash117

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,602
Pretty sure this has been a thing for years or centuries even. Women almost always lose their desirability as they get older, which of course is related to their physical appearance. Men, for years, has their desirability based on whatever is they have. However, society was structured around only men having wealth. I think despite our advancements in society; people still view things like they were years ago.
 
VariantX

VariantX

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Oct 25, 2017
16,874
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I guess I can't relate to other men wanting an 18 year old as a perspective partner. Just way too far apart in experience and maturity for me. Mid twenties to thirties is fine for me.
 
Musubi

Musubi

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Oct 25, 2017
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entremet said:
Other findings from the article:

Speaking of earning potential, Dr. Bruch also found that a man's desirability increased the more education he attained.

For women, that benefit ended with an undergraduate degree — and postgraduate education, in fact, made them less desirable
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Boy that sure is a statement on the state of masculinity in the west. lol
 
Jahranimo

Jahranimo

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Oct 25, 2017
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Wtf is this? 18 the peak?

I'm only in my mid 20s but I'm really interested in women my age or older tbh. That is borderline childlike stuff there.
 
BluePigGanon

BluePigGanon

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Oct 27, 2017
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entremet said:
Other findings from the article:

Speaking of earning potential, Dr. Bruch also found that a man's desirability increased the more education he attained.

For women, that benefit ended with an undergraduate degree — and postgraduate education, in fact, made them less desirable
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lol so weird.

I would reject a woman with no education for the same reason I'd reject a woman who was too young - wtf are we going to talk about? The sex doesn't last forever, man. Eventually this has to be someone you can relate to.
 
Piston

Piston

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Oct 25, 2017
11,155
Really not that surprising, I would have guessed between 18 to 21 for girls and 40ish for guys. Girls like older men either for their maturity, money, or they prefer the look. Guys tend to like girlish youth, I'd prefer above 21 at the very least personally.
 

Deleted member 35077

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BluePigGanon said:
All I know is I'm in my early 40s and I was just having a conversation with some male friends the other day where we were all saying/agreeing how disturbingly young college girls look. They look like f-ing high school kids to us. 18 is definitely not peak attractiveness for a woman, I'd put it more in the 25-35 range.
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Quite the opposiye really, most man prefer woman in the low twenties, if we go by an earlier study.

https://www.businessinsider.com/dataclysm-shows-men-are-attracted-to-women-in-their-20s-2014-10
54455482eab8ea361710fecc-750-699.jpg

And for Woman.
54455482ecad04a7637efb7a-750-725.jpg
 

Deleted member 8118

User requested account closure
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Oct 26, 2017
3,639
I'm 23 messaging a 19 y/o on Tinder. This feels strange. I know I'm not that far apart in age, but the critical parts of my twenties has already passed and I'm increasingly interested in other women my age who either have their shit together or are trying to.
 

Avinash117

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,602
BluePigGanon said:
lol so weird.

I would reject a woman with no education for the same reason I'd reject a woman who was too young - wtf are we going to talk about? The sex doesn't last forever, man. Eventually this has to be someone you can relate to.
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I doubt they care about the sex not lasting forever, the men move on to the next girl. It's mostly a short-term relationship in some of those cases.
 

Conmex

Banned
May 19, 2018
416
Im 38 and im still shocked at how young women are still attracted to guys my age. Ive been hit on by 20 year ol
Musubi said:
Boy that sure is a statement on the state of masculinity in the west. lol
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Honestly i bet a lot of it has to do with kids. Career women usually hold off starting families til their 30s.

Ive known a few guys now who have broken up with their long term gf's for this reason.
 
Musubi

Musubi

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Conmex said:
Im 38 and im still shocked at how young women are still attracted to guys my age. Ive been hit on by 20 year ol

Honestly i bet a lot of it has to do with kids. Career women usually hold off starting families til their 30s.

Ive known a few guys now who have broken up with their long term gf's for this reason.
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I'd be willing to think that's the exception not the rule. Most guys don't like women who are smarter than them. Because it makes them feel like a "failure" as a man. Because of course all there is to being a man is being dominant. /s
 
vanishing

vanishing

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almost every girl i know is dating an older man and they prefer it that way, and most guys I know are the opposite.

not sure how much of this is natural attraction or influence from popular media.
 
gozu

gozu

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Oct 27, 2017
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This study is not about physical (or financial) desirability. We all know that while an 18-22 year old woman can be at "peak beauty", a 50 year old man is nowhere near it. For both sexes, peak beauty is somewhere in the 20s. Early 20s for women and late 20s for men I would guess (more time for men to swole those muscles).

However I can definitely believe that a 50 year old man trying to date a 50 year old woman is in a way better position than the opposite, and if that's what they mean, then yeah. 50 year old dudes have it made. I
 
Your Cousin Vinny

Your Cousin Vinny

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Attractiveness ratings by this or that demographic are usually rooted in baseless idyllic fabrications of the mind - "what is your most desired age of attractiveness, minus any real-world context but plus certain kinds of inalienable biases that you project onto this hypothetical partner". To certain people, certain characteristics either hint at certain basic traits (older men = better provider) or have these silly synergistic implications (younger woman = makes older man feel more energetic and youthful).

If you rephrased the question as "what's your preferred age for a partner", I doubt it's going to look like this. That's when you start factoring in whether or not you have anything in common with this person regarding current priorities or expectations, and if you're 15 years apart in age, it's unlikely that you do.
 
thesoapster

thesoapster

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Oct 25, 2017
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That's an interesting interpretation... I cannot speak for women, but I will say some girls are just more interested in me now that I'm almost 30. I don't feel like I act differently or look different...but there it is.
 
bionic77

bionic77

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Oct 25, 2017
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carlsojo said:
Male sperm doesn't become less viable as they age to my knowledge.
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Pretty sure you are wrong.

I am pretty sure after a certain age sperm quality goes down as you get older.

Its better to have kids when you are young for both sexes. That said that is not always feasible nor does it have to be encouraged but that is my understanding of how that works.
 
BluePigGanon

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Bernd Lauert said:
Maybe it subconsciously has to do with fertility? Aren't women most fertile in their early twenties?
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The conventional anthropological thought is: evolutionary pressure causes women to be more attracted to a man's ability to be a caretaker (power, resourcefulness, income), whereas men select for reproductive potential. The OP study would fit that, as older men are more established, mature, and have a more developed career, and a younger woman has the potential to get pregnant more easily and have more kids.
 
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imbarkus

imbarkus

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Oct 25, 2017
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Castile said:
Quite the opposiye really, most man prefer woman in the low twenties, if we go by an earlier study.

https://www.businessinsider.com/dataclysm-shows-men-are-attracted-to-women-in-their-20s-2014-10
54455482eab8ea361710fecc-750-699.jpg

And for Woman.
54455482ecad04a7637efb7a-750-725.jpg
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I'm afraid we can't separate culture from nature here. Men are marketed and presented as attractive at any age. There's hardly any media relating older women to sexual attractiveness.
I'm 46 and if I go to Victoria's Secret to buy my 48-year-old wife something sexy I have to spend the whole time having half-naked girls my daughter's age stare at me lustily from giant wall-posters.

It ain't healthy. Hopefully we can eventually jettison all this socialization. It belongs in the trash heap along with the undue focus on whether she's a virgin. Yuk.
 
Surface of Me

Surface of Me

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50 is such an odd age for men IMO. I get thirsty dudes wanting 18 year olds forever, but I can't wrap my mind around even an early 30s woman going after a 50 year old man, let alone younger.
 
bionic77

bionic77

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Surface of Me said:
50 is such an odd age for men IMO. I get thirsty dudes wanting 18 year olds forever, but I can't wrap my mind around even an early 30s woman going after a 50 year old man, let alone younger.
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Older men have their shit more together, know more shit and in general I think your personality gets more interesting with age.

Makes sense to me.
 
Kirblar

Kirblar

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bionic77 said:
Older men have their shit more together, know more shit and in general I think your personality gets more interesting with age.

Makes sense to me.
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Yeah, same basic reason that researchers found that the Marital Wage Premium for men wasn't actually a thing- it was just that men with a strong upwards career trajectory were more likely to be getting married.
 
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