OKCupid study shows women say 80% of men are "below average" looking

[Laize]

That applies to women too. 80% of them are average looking, and even more if you put them to take their make up off.

Yes, but 80% being average looking is exactly what you expect from a natural distribution.

80% of men being below medium attractiveness is anything BUT what you'd expect.

[Shadowmelded]

Well to be fair I can see what they mean. Looking around on a night out, there are very very few people that stand out as attractive, however I just thought it was because I'm straight and thus had no interest in finding good looking men. Most people in general are pretty plain, but maybe that's just desensitization after a lifetime of hollywood and the media in general.

[tennesseej]

The thing that boggled my mind about the study was that 80% of men being "below average" is a mathematical impossibility.

There's something going on, but all I can get from the article is "fgsfdsa?"

They would show a woman a picture of a man and ask if he is above or below average, and 80% of men were rated below average, meaning the women who took that survey believe the average man is better looking than what the actual average man looks like.

[Deleted]

80% of me doesn't give a toss whether women find me attractive or not. I don't plaster shit all over my face to make myself better looking before I leave the house. Just shows how image obsessed women are becoming these days.

[starlord]

Yes, but 80% being average looking is exactly what you expect from a natural distribution.

80% of men being below medium attractiveness is anything BUT what you'd expect.

i suspect most of the same men arent getting the same ratings. their sample pictures for "below average males" vary pretty wildly.

the female pictures on the other hand are consistent.

[Laize]

It should be noted that men's reaction to physical attractiveness wasn't a bell curve.

The most attractive women received 11x as many messages as the average ladies, and almost 30x as many as the least attractive women.

For the reverse, that was actually almost an approximate bell curve.



So women were more likely to judge a guy as less attractive, but more forgiving of such.

In contrast, here's the same chart for men.



Approximately 2/3 of all the men on the site would fight over 1/3 of the women.

[Deleted]

I choose to believe it is a kitten and he's overwhelmed with joy at kittens being awesome.

But kittens are below average.

[starlord]

It should be noted that men's reaction to physical attractiveness wasn't a bell curve.

The most attractive women received 11x as many messages as the average ladies, and almost 30x as many as the least attractive women.

For the reverse, that was actually almost an approximate bell curve.

http://cdn.okcimg.com/blog/your_look...ging-Curve.png

So women were more likely to judge a guy as less attractive, but more forgiving of such.

In contrast, here's the same chart for men.

http://cdn.okcimg.com/blog/your_look...ging-Curve.png

Approximately 2/3 of all the men on the site would fight over 1/3 of the women.

this is cause looks are on the whole less important to women than say, personality, money, power, etc. whereas women are valued first for looks and then personality.

for ex. i bet mick jagger is considered a lot more attractive than adele to the opposite sex.

[Suikoden]

I don't even find men attractive. >.>;
Either way that study seems a bit exaggerated.

Women are just as shallow as men. I thought this was common knowledge at this point.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be the case. :/

[Deleted]

this is cause looks are on the whole less important to women than say, personality, money, power, etc. whereas women are valued first for looks and then personality.

Or because men goes on the website to find a partner, and women to wallow in their egos.

[Laize]

this is cause looks are on the whole less important to women than say, personality, money, power, etc. whereas women are valued first for looks and then personality.

Duh. I'm just pointing out that while women were superficially more shallow, they were less likely to act on that superficiality.

Men seemed better at actually creating a natural distribution, and then threw logic out the window to try and get the hot ones.

Not that I blame them. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

[starlord]

Duh. I'm just pointing out that while women were superficially more shallow, they were less likely to act on that superficiality.

Men seemed better at actually creating a natural distribution, and then threw logic out the window to try and get the hot ones.

Not that I blame them. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

idk, i suspect men are just naturally "uglier" as well. consider that the men often rated most physically attractive tend to have more feminine features..

[Laize]

idk, i suspect men are just naturally "uglier" as well. consider that the men often rated most physically attractive tend to have more feminine features..

Boy that's a really happy thought.

[Deleted]

Boy that's a really happy thought.

Women want women with natural strapons.
Manly men arent seen as how a man should look anymore.

[Catta]

The thing that boggled my mind about the study was that 80% of men being "below average" is a mathematical impossibility.

There's something going on, but all I can get from the article is "fgsfdsa?"

Maybe just because the "average" is set by the media. So its not really average at all.

[Laize]

Maybe just because the "average" is set by the media. So its not really average at all.

No, the participants were asked to rate the photos on a scale of 0-5. 80% of the rated men scored below 2.5.

[Catta]

No, the participants were asked to rate the photos on a scale of 0-5. 80% of the rated men scored below 2.5.

I know. Im talking about what the ideal average man would look like in the women's head. And this the media has twisted so that average is not the real average. Same goes the other way around.

[Deleted]

Women want women with natural strapons.

That would be.. intersting.

[FathomFear]

How many men in the world is above average looking? 50% of them
How many is below average? 50% of them. It's simple.

Except attraction doesn't work that way. "Average" here is not used in a mathematical sense. It's a qualitative statement.

For example, if you took 20 overweight people in the room it wouldn't make sense to say that only 50% of them could be "above average" weight. They'd still all be fat.

As a gay man myself I would agree with the ~80% figure. Compared to women, most guys put little to no effort into their physical appearance. They don't work out, and they tend to wear loose/baggy clothing that doesn't help accentuate their good features. Straight guys are told that they just need to be "confident" and flash some money around and everything will be okay.

[Deleted]

I'm not surprised, I'd say I find about the same percentage of women to be unattractive too.

---------- Post added 2012-11-14 at 11:33 PM ----------

Yes, but 80% being average looking is exactly what you expect from a natural distribution.

80% of men being below medium attractiveness is anything BUT what you'd expect.

below medium doesn't imply that it needs to be average though, average attractiveness can very well be unattractive.