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Across the animal kingdom, males are competitive when females are scarce. Now a study with people has examined how the number of women affects men’s attitudes about a marker for competitive fitness: Money. Basically, the fewer the women, the more the men threw their money around. The research is in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Study subjects read prepared articles that described their local population as being predominantly male or being half male-half female. Then they were asked how much money they’d save and how much they’d spend using credit cards each month. When the men believed there were fewer women, they predicted they’d save 42 percent less money and were willing to spend 84 percent more on credit cards than when the sexes were at equal numbers.
Participants also looked at photos of groups where the gender ratios were either varied or balanced. Men who were led to believe that women were scarce were more likely to take a $20 gift today than wait for $30 in a month.
Population data supports the experimental findings: In communities with few single women, single men have more credit cards and owe more money. They clearly think that if you wanna play, you gotta pay.
—Christie Nicholson
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
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6 Comments
Add CommentHow about, "when the cat is away, the mice will play?"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA higher percentage of females, could mean men are thinking more about saving to prepare for that future ball and chain!
$20 now or $30 later makes a difference?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMust be one of those university student studies...
I think the study should make sure the lack of a wife is not a factor. Single men have more money to spend not because of savings or anything but because girlfriends, wives, kids and etc... cost even more money than just being single. So with more money to throw around, why wouldn't they.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, the final conclusion is true, if there are few women men will throw out everything they have to get to be one of the guys who gets the woman. There really are not many women who will take a penniless guy or one who has no capacity to earn.
Now a really interesting study would be few rich or self reliant women and loads of men, then the money spending on the women would not be as much a factor because rich or a self reliant woman is not necessarily going to care so much about what kind of money the guys have. I suspect you will see guys looking at what else they can turn into a commondy to "spend" to attract few women when money is not a factor.
I once had the odd experience of living in a place called "boys-town" by the local women. The guys who lived there, a few of whom were roomates with my daughter and I, were perfectly normal folks to live and work with. But, single men and worse, men who were vacationing without their wives, came into our situation, where the ratio was 7 to 1, men to women, and just lost it. One night I found myself faced with a Texan who truly exemplified the odd attitude; he screamed at me, "Who do you think you are, do you know who I am! I own three gas stations and I have cocaine, you have to come to my hotel". I was just about to drop him when a whole group of local men descended on him and kicked him out of the bar. It made me think of (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress). I don't know if we just had really nice local guys and really creapy tourists, or if it was a case of those who were adapted to the local situation and those who were freaked out by it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHaha, it's a common phenomenon for me as well as my friends. That is, for male, you can spend more money when you are in a relationship, and on the other hand, for female the situation is opposite.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisshould there have" were either"between "ratios" and "varied" in the first row in the third paragraph?
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