From Joan Collins, 91, to Priyanka Chopra, 42, many of the most famous women in Hollywood are known for dating younger men.
These women – whose partners are Percy Gibson, 59, and Nick Jonas, 32, respectively – would have once been dubbed ‘cougars’.
But a new study suggests that they’re not alone.
Researchers from the University of California, Davis, have confirmed that women are drawn to younger partners – whether they realise it or not.
‘This preference for youth among women will be shocking to many people,’ said Professor Paul Eastwick, lead author of the study.
‘Because in mixed-gender couples, men tend to be older than women.
‘Plus, women generally say they prefer older partners.
‘But women’s preferences on the dates themselves revealed something else entirely.’
Scientists have confirmed that women really do prefer younger men. Joan Collins, 91, is 32 years older than her husband, Percy Gibson, 59
Researchers from the University of California, Davis, have confirmed that women are drawn to younger partners – whether they realise it or not. Cher, 78, is 30 years older than her partner, Alexander Edwards, 38
The team carried out their research on more than 6,000 people who were set up on blind dates via a US dating site.
All the participants were looking for long-term love and were matched with others based on their interests.
Analysis revealed that after the dates, both men and women said they were more attracted to younger partners.
‘After a blind date, participants were slightly more attracted to younger partners and this trend was equally true for men and women,’ Professor Eastwick said.
The researchers also looked at whether wealthier women were more inclined to go for a younger partner.
However, there was little evidence that income influenced preference for youth.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, did not look at whether romantic attraction on the first date led to longer-term relationships.
‘These findings suggest that men and women find youth a little more appealing in initial attraction settings — whether they know it or not,’ Professor Eastwick added.
While women like Priyanka Chopra, 42, (pictured with her husband, Nick Jonas, 32) would have once been dubbed ‘cougars’, scientists say that they’re not alone
A previous study, published last year, found that a traditional trip to the cinema could be a good idea during those first crucial dates.
Researchers found that sharing a cry over a sad film or a laugh during a comedy can increase your connection with a stranger.
The team, from École Normale Supérieure in Paris, showed 61 pairs of strangers the same set of videos and monitored their physiological and emotional responses, as well as how they felt towards each other.
Analysis revealed people felt more connected when they could see each other whilst watching the videos and when they were both experiencing strong emotions – regardless of whether they were positive or negative.
ARE MEN WITH SHORT AND WIDE FACES MORE LIKELY TO CHEAT?
Researchers from Nipissing University in Canada looked at how different facial features affect sexual behaviours.
The study involved 314 undergraduate students who were in romantic relationships.
Each student completed a questionnaire about their behaviour, sex drive, sexual orientation, the chances they’d consider cheating, and how comfortable they were with the concept of casual sex.
The researchers also took a picture of each student to analyse their facial width-to-height ratios (FWHR).
Scientists have found that men and women with short and wide faces are more sexually motivated and likely to cheat than people with faces of other dimensions. Pictured is footballer, Wayne Rooney, who has previously cheated on his wife, Coleen
The results showed that men and women with a high FWHR – square and wide faces – reported a greater sex drive than others.
Men with a larger FWHR were also more easy-going when it comes to casual sex and would consider being unfaithful to their partners.
The researchers hope the findings will shed light on the role that facial features play in sexual relationships and mate selection.
Their research builds upon previous studies that have shown that certain psychological and behavioural traits are associated with particular facial width-to-height ratios (FWHR).
Square-faced men tend to be perceived as more aggressive, more dominant, more unethical, and more attractive as short-term sexual partners than men with thinner and longer faces.
