But as a scientist A person who studies the interaction between humans and animalsI wanted to know what this meant for pet owners, especially male cat owners.
If you have a cat, how does posting a photo of posing with your favorite cat affect suitors?
In previous studies A woman determines a potential male partner based on whether he has a pet.. They prefer men who have dogs, but the results show that men who have cats also have an advantage over non-pet owners.
For this reason, we thought that a man in the picture with a cat might be considered more attractive and desirable than a man not posing with an animal.
In our studyWe recruited 1,388 heterosexual American women between the ages of 18 and 24 and conducted a brief anonymous online survey. The survey presented a photo of one of two young Caucasian men in their early twenties posing alone or with a cat. I randomly presented the first photos I saw so that the women’s reactions would not be biased. Each participant evaluated only one man, with or without cats.
Each time a participant looked at a photo, he asked them to rate the man in the photo for several personality attributes, such as masculine, femininity, and ease of dating. We also asked the women if they defined themselves as “cats,” “dogs,” “neither,” or “both.”
Most women found it more difficult to date a man with a cat.This result surprised us as previous studies have shown it. Women have found that men who have pets have a higher chance of being a partner.. They also thought that men with cats were not extroverts, but neurotic, pleasing, and open. Importantly, they considered these men also not masculine.
This last point may explain our discovery.
Previous studies suggest that Women often seek masculine men – From both a visual and behavioral perspective. Therefore, the fact that women in our study felt that men-only photos were more masculine and easier to date could allow women to first look for masculine-related clues when determining dating possibilities. I support the idea of high sex.
We suspect that old cultural norms are influencing the response.Past studies suggest that Men’s femininity and homosexuality are still perceived to be related..Because there are cats from time to time More closely related to female owners – Therefore, it is considered a female pet – posing with a cat may have inspired a woman doing our research to set a default for this outdated metaphor. Some popular media initiatives To enhance the status of male cat owners.
Alternatively, the perception that male cat owners are not extroverted, neurotic, pleasant, and open may have prompted respondents to put these men in the “friends zone.” In other words, perhaps seeing a man posing with a cat suggests that he may be more confident than a date.
It is important to note that whether women identified themselves as “cat people,” “dog people,” “both,” or “neither” did not affect their perception. is. Women who self-identified as “cats” tended to consider men depicted with cats to be more outdated or disliked.
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Of course, like any other study, our work has its limits. Our sample is a very special population. Heterosexual, mostly Caucasian, 18-24 years old, living in the United States. For example, if you survey bisexual or gender fluid women, men who are interested in men, or individuals with different cultural backgrounds, you do not know how these results will change.
And that’s the best part. This is a new and growing field of study and is just one of the few potential studies on the relationship between pet owners and first impressions of dating apps. This means that our work has been cut out for us.
But in the meantime, if a heterosexual man is looking for a match, it’s best to stop showing off photos with your favorite feline on the first or second day.
This article will be republished from conversation, A non-profit news site aimed at sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Loli cogan, Colorado State University When Sherry Borche, Boise State University..
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The author does not work, consult, own shares, or receive funding for companies or organizations that benefit from this article, and discloses alliances related to anything other than academic appointments. not.