Do Men Care If The Women They Date Are Funny?
Humor is a quality most people want in a future partner, but have you ever thought about the science of it before? Turns out, men are more interested in having a woman laugh at their jokes than finding a funny woman.
Women, on the other hand, actively search for a guy who can make them laugh. That's not to say that men hate funny women, but perhaps it's just not as important to them when it comes to dating.
Humor Is Attractive—But In Different Ways
I love me a funny guy. The key to my heart is when someone can make me laugh, which apparently, is a pretty basic way of thinking for a woman.
And the thing is, humor is a part of attraction for both men and women, but not in the same way.
Women Like Men Who Make Them Laugh
Evolutionary-minded scientists have proposed that humor is a sexually selected trait in men that signals mate quality.
This study (among others) has found that women tend to prefer men who make them laugh while men tend to prefer women who laugh at their jokes.
Men Like Women Who Laugh At Their Jokes
And even though there are tons of funny women out there, they don't REALLY have an advantage over "unfunny" ladies the same way funny men do.
At least, not in a way that's shown up in studies. I'm sure there are tons of men out there who really do value humor, but it seems like they usually just want someone to laugh at their jokes.
Funny Men Finish First
A study conducted by Jeffrey Hall, an associate professor at the University of Kansas, found that men who are able to make women laugh are more likely to win their affection.
Funny women, however, were not necessarily any more attractive to prospective male partners.
Laughter Is Sexy
But this doesn't mean that men don't value a sense of humor in a romantic partner in general.
The study also found that when men and women laughed together, they were both more interested in each other. And that rings true, because who doesn't like that feeling of laughing uncontrollably with someone?
Men Use Humor When Flirting
Hall also found that when a man tries to make a woman laugh and succeeds, he is more likely to go for a date with the woman compared to someone who acts smart and makes no effort at humor.
So, men use humor to gauge if someone is interested in them, and usually, it works in their favor.
If You Laugh A Lot With Someone, It's A Good Sign
Lots of people believe that humor often goes hand in hand with intelligence. But, in Hall's opinion, "The idea that humor is a signal of intelligence doesn't give humor its due credit."
He claims that if you meet someone you can laugh with, it might mean your future relationship is going to be fun and filled with good cheer.
Laughter Is A Natural Reaction
The beautiful thing about laughing is that when you find something funny, you can't control the way you laugh or how you smile.
Often, you can't even explain why something is funny to you. It’s a genuine, natural, and involuntary reaction to a situation.
Keep On Joking Around, Funny Ladies
Even though it seems like funny women don't make the cut when it comes to studies, everyone loves to laugh.
So, if you're on a date, make jokes regardless, because laughter is good for potential relationships, and for the health of your body.
Here's A Fun Fact
Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore have linked laughter to the healthy function of blood vessels.
So perhaps laughter TRULY is the best medicine, at least when it comes to blood vessels and ab workouts!
