Comments on: heteronormative attraction studies are *so cute* when they’re still babies! http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2009/06/heteronormative-attraction-studies-are-so-cute-when-theyre-still-babies.html Journalist and author Violet Blue's site for sex and tech culture, accurate sex information, erotica and more. Tue, 26 May 2015 17:18:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kaija http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2009/06/heteronormative-attraction-studies-are-so-cute-when-theyre-still-babies.html/comment-page-1#comment-6305 Kaija Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:59:33 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=2715#comment-6305 Hmmm...I'd have to see the whole writeup of the original b/c I'm curious about how much got lost in translation from peer-reviewed journal article and the splashy media headline/slant. I'm suspicious of the news article because it probably oversimplifies the authors' findings and leaves out the many many qualifiers that good researchers add to make sure that their work stays in context. I suspect that this idea that "men agree on what is attractive" is more an outgrowth of the very strong social pressure to adhere to the narrow confines of masculinity and that certainly includes the realm of sex and attraction. Straight men have to stay in a very small box to avoid being called "gay" and that includes knowing that when one is asked, he should claim to love those Barbie babes that are put out there as the "ideal." Many men actually choose their mates over a larger range of looks and other qualities, just like women do. In all social research, there is a disconnect between what people SAY they like and what they SAY they do, and their personal reality. Women have more play in their sexuality and their preferences and feel more free to voice their personal preferences, which as in the case of just about every human trait or proclivity, vary over a very very wide distribution. As my Nana always said, "Every pot finds a lid". :) Hmmm…I’d have to see the whole writeup of the original b/c I’m curious about how much got lost in translation from peer-reviewed journal article and the splashy media headline/slant. I’m suspicious of the news article because it probably oversimplifies the authors’ findings and leaves out the many many qualifiers that good researchers add to make sure that their work stays in context.

I suspect that this idea that “men agree on what is attractive” is more an outgrowth of the very strong social pressure to adhere to the narrow confines of masculinity and that certainly includes the realm of sex and attraction. Straight men have to stay in a very small box to avoid being called “gay” and that includes knowing that when one is asked, he should claim to love those Barbie babes that are put out there as the “ideal.” Many men actually choose their mates over a larger range of looks and other qualities, just like women do. In all social research, there is a disconnect between what people SAY they like and what they SAY they do, and their personal reality. Women have more play in their sexuality and their preferences and feel more free to voice their personal preferences, which as in the case of just about every human trait or proclivity, vary over a very very wide distribution.

As my Nana always said, “Every pot finds a lid”. :)

]]> By: violet http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2009/06/heteronormative-attraction-studies-are-so-cute-when-theyre-still-babies.html/comment-page-1#comment-6262 violet Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:02:24 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=2715#comment-6262 Chris -- thanks for this! however, I did see that. but I (unlike the Daily Mail) differentiated between "attractiveness" and "finding a mate [ostensibly seeking procreation characteristics, rather than "attraction" which I believe is different sex and long-term or pair mating criteria]. not disagreeing, just sayin'. highly likely that Daily Mail is skewing the results to mean attractiveness (lust) for pageviews and oversimplifying/justifying male/female stereotypes, rather than report on a study that's actually about characteristics sought in hetero sets for mating/breeding. Chris — thanks for this! however, I did see that. but I (unlike the Daily Mail) differentiated between “attractiveness” and “finding a mate [ostensibly seeking procreation characteristics, rather than "attraction" which I believe is different sex and long-term or pair mating criteria]. not disagreeing, just sayin’. highly likely that Daily Mail is skewing the results to mean attractiveness (lust) for pageviews and oversimplifying/justifying male/female stereotypes, rather than report on a study that’s actually about characteristics sought in hetero sets for mating/breeding.

]]> By: Chris http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2009/06/heteronormative-attraction-studies-are-so-cute-when-theyre-still-babies.html/comment-page-1#comment-6261 Chris Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:49:19 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=2715#comment-6261 Your commentary is really interesting since the Daily Mail article doesn't have a "citation" in it. However, if you search for Dustin Wood at the website of the Journal, you can easily find this article: Wood D & Brumbaugh C. (2009). Using revealed mate preferences to evaluate market force and differential preference explanations for mate selection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(6), 1226-1244. This is clearly the study referred to. Your commentary is really interesting since the Daily Mail article doesn’t have a “citation” in it. However, if you search for Dustin Wood at the website of the Journal, you can easily find this article:

Wood D & Brumbaugh C. (2009). Using revealed mate preferences to evaluate market force and differential preference explanations for mate selection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(6), 1226-1244.

This is clearly the study referred to.

]]> By: Dr. Curiosity http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2009/06/heteronormative-attraction-studies-are-so-cute-when-theyre-still-babies.html/comment-page-1#comment-6258 Dr. Curiosity Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:19:43 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=2715#comment-6258 Ahh, the Daily Mail - bastion of all that is proper in middle class British life. An interesting article to see from them, given the reaction to Filament not too long ago: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1190425/Filament-A-new-erotic-magazine-women-believes-images-like-turn-Hardly.html Ahh, the Daily Mail – bastion of all that is proper in middle class British life. An interesting article to see from them, given the reaction to Filament not too long ago:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1190425/Filament-A-new-erotic-magazine-women-believes-images-like-turn-Hardly.html

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