Brainy women face handicap in marriage stakes

[nickel]

LONDON (AFP) - A high IQ is a hindrance for women wanting to get married while it is an asset for men, according to a study by four British universities published in The Sunday Times newspaper.

The study found the likelihood of marriage increased by 35 percent for boys for each 16-point increase in IQ.

But for girls, there is a 40-percent drop for each 16-point rise, according to the survey by the universities of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The study is based on the IQs of 900 men and women between their 10th and 40th birthdays.

"Women in their late 30s who have gone for careers after the first flush of university and who are among the brightest of their generation are finding that men are just not interesting enough," said psychologist and professor at Nottingham University Paul Brown in The Sunday Times.

Claire Rayner, writer and broadcaster, said in the article that intelligent men often prefered a less brainy partner.

"A chap with a high IQ is going to get a demanding job that is going to take up a lot of his energy and time. In many ways he wants a woman who is an old-fashioned wife and looks after the home, a copy of his mum in a way."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050102/lf_afp/afplifestylebritain_050102204340

[johnnymk]

I totally agree

[bachviet]

Most women want to marry someone who are smarter and better than them thus it's harder to find.

[Merlin]

Smart woman? I have yet to meet this elusive creature. Are we sure it is not mere myth?

[welfareloser]

:P

funny how you can get media coverage for really, really old news. this study's been done a zillion times over the last 50 years...

actually, studies like these are usually done using the woman's income or education. i can't say that i've ever seen one that just used iq as an index...

but, yeah. leave it to mainstream media to mangle science reporting. they found a correlation between iq and liklihood of marriage... and then go directly to quotes from people that say "Women ... who are among the brightest of their generation are finding that men are just not interesting enough" and "A chap with a high IQ is going to get a demanding job that is going to take up a lot of his energy and time. ...he wants a woman who is an old-fashioned wife and looks after the home..." when these two things were not at all proved by the simple correlation that the study uncovered.

people have theorized a zillion reasons for the phenomenon, from women putting career before family, women who simply cannot be satisfied, men who are intimidated by smarter or more successful women, etc... for this article to present those two reasons as though they were at all proven is disgusting. the "answer" to the question why is complex and still up for debate.

[nickel]

Smart woman? I have yet to meet this elusive creature. Are we sure it is not mere myth?
:pfft:

[BrewMaster]

Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.


since when do we use the Scottish as a meaure for IQ and marriage? I'd say the study is flawed from the outset. I think the Irish can attest the fact that the Scottish are just not normal. :hihi:

[Kevster]

since when do we use the Scottish as a meaure for IQ and marriage? I'd say the study is flawed from the outset. I think the Irish can attest the fact that the Scottish are just not normal. :hihi:

:stupid:

I totally agree! Those scots talk funny. It's a good thing they didn't try Wales because they're version of the english language is totally incomprehensible.

But I digress... I have to agree with Merlin out of solidarity for the male species :heh:

[welfareloser]

I have to agree with Merlin out of solidarity for the male species :heh:

that solidarity is not gonna get you laid, sucka :P

[bachviet]

that solidarity is not gonna get you laid, sucka :P
We still have Fistina... ;)

[ShawnLee]

I don't know. Personally I'd say the issue is with the chicks since most of the guys I know wouldn't mind a wife who is smarter, richer, taller, better looking, etc. But then I know two automatic flaws with my statement.

1) Who I know does not represent the standard population since most of the guys I know would jump on any female that says yes and isn't related to them.
2) This is a a slice across all generations, and not one representing the "enlightened" males of today who'd love to take advantage of sugar momma.

[welfareloser]

good thoughts... there was an article about this in newsweek about 6 months ago. lots of interviews with 25-35 year old women, successful women who were not married. lots of different reasons why... the perspectives were interesting. anyway, among other things, it did say pretty definitively that a large part of the problem was the men, and society's perception of them. even if a guy started out being totally cool with marrying a woman who made a lot more money than him, his buddies raggin on him, his dad dissaproving of him, and women thinking he was a disgusting leech... he didn't stay cool with it. woman-on-top :P marriages end in divorce pretty quickly at an enormous rate.

[Kevster]

We still have Fistina... ;)

And remember, as the latest research into prostate cancer shows, a *fap* a day keeps the doctor away!

[ialsohaveadream]

I don't know. Personally I'd say the issue is with the chicks since most of the guys I know wouldn't mind a wife who is smarter, richer, taller, better looking, etc. But then I know two automatic flaws with my statement.


Having a woman taller than me freaks me out. I dated a girl that was the same height as me, and it was just....odd. I could deal with being with a smarter woman, I think. As for richer....probably not. Damned pride. I'd end up working 2 jobs to keep pace with her and we'd get divorced. :)



woman-on-top marriages end in divorce pretty quickly at an enormous rate.


Mmmmmmmmm.....woman on top....

[usedillusion]

mmmm... enormous :P


Originally Posted by ialsohaveadream
Having a woman taller than me freaks me out. I dated a girl that was the same height as me, and it was just....odd.
i have a similar thinking. i'm almost 5'9" and it seems like every guy i meet is not only shorter, but damn skinny. call me shallow or archaic (as i have been for it), but it just makes me feel less feminine.

[donnar]

Men have been told for years they need to be the breadwinner in the family so when a women comes along that does not allow him to fullfill a goal he has been set on his whole life those are going to be a pretty upsetting, she is just not allowing him to fullfill what he has been told he must do all his life, I could see why it does not work

[welfareloser]

heehee... the whole height thing is funny. all of my past sig-others were 6' tall or taller... and i'm 5'1. actually had a short guy jokingly yell at an ex once for taking a girl short enough for him off the market.

anyway, prm is about 5'7 or so... and he honestly has no issues about his height. his last gf was about 5'10, and it always looked funny to me, but he was totally comfortable with it (okay, when she insisted on wearing heels to weddings where he had to dance with her, he got a little annoyed :P )

[molecularfire]

woman-on-top marriages end in divorce pretty quickly at an enormous rate.
So. That can be said of all marriages in our society. :P

Shocking new breaking news... men also like thin women with big boobs!!! well... I'm shocked.

[Yossarian]

i dunno, i don't have a problem with girls being taller than me...that siad, it is rather nice to have a girl who is 6' as a girlfriend

[johnnymk]

So. That can be said of all marriages in our society. :P

Shocking new breaking news... men also like thin women with big boobs!!! well... I'm shocked.

:stupid:

Yeh, with a 50% divorce rate, it's hard trying to figure what works and what doesn't work.

With those odds, it's better to stay single.

[Cantacuzene]

Being 6'5 I can safely say that I would absolutely refuse to date a woman taller than me. That would just be extremely weird.

I have gone out with girls who I felt were smarter than me, and ones who I felt were far dumber than me and I can generally say my preference is with the smarter ones. I have a pretty funny anecdote about my distaste for dumb girls, but it isn't PG so I won't post it in this forum. The small feeling of jealousy or emasculation I'd get from dating a smarter/richer women would be far outweighed by the benefits of good company and added wealth, and even the above drawbacks are nothing compared to the misery of trying to have a decent conversation with a total brainless tart.

[BrewMaster]

i'm down for the smarter and richer, just not the taller women. my fiance has the earning power to make more than me, but currently she does not. in some areas she is way smarter than i am and i just watch and learn from her. but the height thing is perfect. in fact, i kind of wish she was a few inches taller, but when she wears high heals it's perfect. she' 5'3" and I'm 6'0".

[DaFunkyUnit]

i would love to have a sugar momma.


<DC>
I'M RICH, BEEEYOTCH!!!
</DC>

[Captain Video]

Nuttin sexier than a smart tall woman ..... It would be a fun challenge to climb both mountains !!!

[MrGreg]

I would be perfectly happy with a smart successful woman. And if I can stay home and eat bon-bons on the couch all day, even better :)

But seriously, I would be happy to raise the kids, cook, clean, work in my woodshop, etc. as long as the woman brings home the $$$

[DarkFury]

Heh...

Some women are just too smart for their own dayuum good... :hihi: :laugh: :D

[bachviet]

I would be perfectly happy with a smart successful woman. And if I can stay home and eat bon-bons on the couch all day, even better :)

But seriously, I would be happy to raise the kids, cook, clean, work in my woodshop, etc. as long as the woman brings home the $$$
:stupid:

I don't mind if my wife is smarter or making more money than I do. I don't mind being home and taking care of the kid(s).

[BrewMaster]

But seriously, I would be happy to raise the kids, cook, clean, work in my woodshop, etc. as long as the woman brings home the $$$
i have a buddy who is aspiring to just that. his wife is in school for her Ph.D. and he is a musician. He will gladly be a house husband.

[guiseppewv]

Nuttin sexier than a smart tall woman ..... It would be a fun challenge to climb both mountains !!!

:stupid:

I have gone out with quite a few women who are taller than me and I have never had a problem with that even when I had friends breakin' my balls b/c of it. I feel the same way about the intelligence and money factors......it would not bother me a bit to be with a smart, rich, tall, and sexy woman. :D


Heh...

Some women are just too smart for their own dayuum good... :hihi: :laugh: :D

:heh: