(CN) The Journal of Social, Evolutionary & Cultural Psychology recently published a study by a Coastal Carolina University professor who found that hungry male students are attracted to heavier, taller, and older females than non-hungry boys are.
A pair of studies suggest that hungry men aren't necessarily attracted to a female's body fat per se. But the psychologist's findings indicate that hungry men are drawn to the "aura of maturity" associated with older and fuller-figured ladies.
Interviewed before and after eating at a campus dining hall, 328 students students were asked to describe the height, weight, and age of their ideal mate, as well as describing some of the personality traits they seek in a partner. The difference in the students' preferences before and after eating wasn't huge - less than one year in age and less than one inch in height - but they were very consistent among interview subjects.
Pettijohn's previous research includes a 2004 study of Playboy's Playmates of the Year; he found that playmates are older and curvier during rough social and political times than they are during times of prosperity. Using evolutionary theory and a number of other studies, Pettijohn argues that hungry men are drawn to women who appear capable of acting as providers.
The report indicates that hungry female students also prefer more mature men, though they look for partners with more mature personalities; their physical preferences did not change with their appetites.
