Factors giving confidence to date girls: Of height, strength, athleticism, muscularity, erect penis size, flaccid penis size, face, hair, & weight, the only relevant factors were perceptions of relative strength and erect penis size

Masculinity and dating confidence. Ro Cunningham, Cassidy Best, Yasmin Akbari, David Frederick. Human Behavior and Evolution Society 31st annual meeting. Boston 2019. http://tiny.cc/aa1w6y

Abstract: Physical features shape perceptions of a man’s masculinity. Many of the traits socially perceived as “masculine” are associated with testosterone level and/or are sexual dimorphic. Men with relatively high levels of these traits are represented as prestigious in the popular media, which reinforces the message that these traits are desirable, that men should strive to embody these traits, and that women find thest raits attractive. These social expectations increase pressure on men to display these traits, and can lead to body dissatisfaction and lower confidence seeking mates when they do not. Heterosexual adult men (N = 441) recruited through Mechanical Turk selfreported their satisfaction with masculine traits (height, strength, athleticism, muscularity, erect penis size, flaccid penis size, face, hair, weight) and also how they felt they compared to the average man. These were used as predictors of comfort with engaging in romantic and sexual activities (e.g., asking a woman on a date). After controlling for the other predictors, perceptions of relative strength and erect penis size were the only significant predictors of dating confidence. The same was true for satisfaction with these traits. The findings suggest these two factors are particularly important in men’s mating strategies and behaviors.