Women Who are Unmarried Prefer Married Men

A new study shows evidence that women who are unmarried prefer married men or men who are already in relationships.

The study, led by social psychologists Melissa Burkely, Ph.D., and Jessica Parker, M.A., from Oklahoma State University, is published in the current issue of  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

After asking participants in the study to describe their ideal romantic partner, researchers showed each of them a picture of a reasonably attractive man or woman. Half the group was told their “match” was currently in a romantic relationship and the other half was told their “match” was single. The participants then answered a series of questions on how interested they would be in pursuing a relationship with their “match”.

When researchers described the man as single, 59 percent of unmarried women were interested in pursuing him. Surprisingly though (or maybe not so surprisingly) when the exact same man was described as being in a committed relationship, 90 percent of the women were interested!

Men did not show this preference nor did women who were already in a relationship.

“This finding indicates that single women are considerably more interested in pursuing a man who is less available to them,” said Dr. Burkley. “This may be because a man who is attached has already shown his ability to commit and, in a sense, has been pre-screened by another woman.”

So to all you married men out there. Remember this study and repeat after me… unmarried women prefer married men not because  you have that little something extra, but for the simple fact that you are married. Now go kiss your wife.

Then buy her flowers.