Research shows that many women prefer taller men in the dating world. Specifically, studies indicate that women feel most satisfied when their partner is around 8 inches taller.
In contrast, men generally prefer to be about 3 inches taller than their partners. Additionally, the data reveals interesting trends: 13.5 percent of men prefer to date women who are shorter than they are, while nearly half of women—around 49 percent—favor dating taller men, according to Psychology Today.
A related study on dating preferences finds that women typically prefer men to be at least 5 feet 9 inches tall, while men often look for women who are at least 5 feet 1 inch.
Interestingly, height flexibility exists, with 23 percent of men and 4 percent of women open to dating someone taller.
The study also highlights that women married to taller men tend to report better health, lower BMIs, more education, and higher incomes compared to those married to shorter men. Did you know that research suggests that the height difference ‘matters’?
In a different study conducted by a team of researchers from Konkuk University in South Korea, it has been noted that couples with a greater height difference tend to have a more successful and long-lasting relationship as compared to those who don’t.
Before you raise your eyebrows, this study collected data from 7, 850 couples over an extensive period of time.
According to Dr. Kitae Sohn, the leading researcher of the team, it has been observed that a big height difference between the couple was positively related to the wife’s happiness.
Also, he noted that women’s preference for tall men increased women’s reproductive fitness. In his journal, Personality and Individual Differences, Dr. Sohn mentioned that “Women simply like tall men.”
Although the researchers did not know why. This behavior of women can be likened to why people crave food that is sweet, salty, or even fatty. It has something to do with how our brain works when we are still evolving.
In a separate study conducted in the year 2013 by Dutch psychologists Gert Stulp, Abraham Buunk, and Thomas Pollet, they discovered that evolutionary speaking, women prefer taller men because they are perceived to be stronger and better skilled in warding off physical threats to their family.
In short, women are attracted to taller men because they are thought to be better hunter-gatherers during ancient times.
In another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan, it has been discovered that women are attracted to taller men because they tend to have higher self-esteem and exude more confidence.
Not only that, but another study conducted by Andreas Schick, an economist at the FDA, and Richard Steckle, an economist at Ohio State University, claims that taller men have higher chances of being rich and becoming financially stable as compared to shorter men. Making them a better provider.
This is due to the nutrition which taller men were able to get when they were children which strengthened their cognitive and people skills; giving them an advantage in appearing to be more capable, trustworthy, and confident.
Thus, they are the ones who are mostly promoted to become CEOs, managers, and team leaders.
Going back to Dr. Sohn’s study, he stated that a man’s height alone cannot predict the outcome of a relationship. Additionally, height is only a factor during the first 18 years of a relationship, which means it won’t matter to the couple in the years after.
At the end of the day, it is still up to the couple how they will manage their relationship.
“Although it has been known that women prefer tall men in mating for evolutionary reasons, no study has investigated whether a taller husband makes his wife happier,” Dr. Sohn explained. “[It is just that] a greater height difference in a couple was positively related to the wife’s happiness.”
Do you also believe that tall men and short women make the perfect couple?
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