When it comes to picking up on sexual interest, men fall into two camps, researchers find: Those who believe all women want them, and those who remain oblivious to female desire.
A new study involved about 200 college students who spent three minutes talking to members of the opposite sex in a “speed-meeting” exercise.
Researchers found that men tended to overestimate a woman’s desire for them when the men believed themselves to be attractive, found the woman attractive, or were interested in a short-term sexual encounter.
On the other hand, women tended to underestimate a man’s desire for them.
In terms of evolutionary success, the men who overestimated their appeal to women tended to pursue an encounter, at the risk of being rebuffed, and were thus more likely to reproduce, researchers noted.
The study will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science.
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