Beauty wakens the beast

Abby Joyce and Seane Shanley. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Men fall for gorgeous women in a millisecond because it's in their genes, research has found.

New Zealand experts agree with a British and Dutch study, which reveals why men look for beauty in a partner and women are more likely to go for good personality and providers.

Men react to a pretty face because their genes tell them it is a sign of fertility - and their brains are wired to reproduce and leave offspring.

Canterbury University relationship psychology expert Professor Garth Fletcher said there were three key aspects in choosing a partner: motivation, ability and attractiveness.

Fletcher said women were more likely to sacrifice attractiveness for motivation and ability.

But men would sacrifice motivation and ability for attractiveness in a partner.

"Women are more concerned about their appearance because evolution tells them they need to be," said Fletcher.

Men are more likely to be focused on business and getting ahead so they can provide for their partner, he said.

The study showed when men saw the face they were attracted to they made a snap judgment.

"Men definitely have the most wandering eye but it is because they have evolved to pay attention to cues of fertility and one of those cues is facial beauty - it's not that men are shallow," Professor Mark van Vugt of Amsterdam University, said.

"But we found they do make snap judgments about women much earlier than was previously thought. "Of course men find a pretty face attractive but they [decide] whether a woman would be a good mating partner in milliseconds."

The study involved 20 men and women connected to equipment which recorded brain activity. While completing tasks they were shown faces, attractive to ugly, from the opposite sex.

Women stuck to the tasks, but men were easily distracted. Denise Corlett, from NZ's Dating Advice, said: "Facial shapes bring on increased attraction. It's biological stuff, women are looking for men who can provide is certainly valid."

Looks or personality?

We asked New Zealanders yesterday if they agreed with the findings of the research.

Hair salon owner Liz McCaul, 27, was attracted to her longtime partner Michael Marneros for his looks.

"I thought he was attractive but then he wasn't that nice and I was wondering why I was with him, then he grew on me," laughed McCaul.

But it was his personality that has ultimately kept them together, she said.

"You have to like their personality for the whole package."

Chasidee O'Toole, 27, agreed men were interested in looks; women in mental stimulation.

Seane Shanley, 23, disagreed with the study.

"I can't believe there are people who would date someone purely on looks. What would you talk about?"

Abby Joyce, 22, said at a basic level looks were important. "But personality is definitely the most important thing," she said.

Craig Lucas, 51, who has been married for 30 years said while looks might be important, a relationship needed more than for it to survive.