Study: New Dads Are Total Hotties
While there’s long been talk of a woman’s pregnancy glow (despite the soon-to-be-mom often feeling the opposite), a recent study has found that new dads are total hotties, if only in their heads.
The research, from the Journal of Gender Studies, found that while new moms tend to have a lower perceived physical attractiveness, new dads get a boost. A sexy boost.
The study was by University of California, Santa Barbara Sociology Professor Alicia Cast (and friends!), and included date from 182 newly married couples with first children. Couples kept daily diaries and had face-to-face interviews. They were asked to play “hot or not” on themselves over three collection periods – at the beginning of the study (newly married), once around the first anniversary, and once around the second.
What researchers found was that men without kids had stable self-images, but new fathers got a baby bump so to speak, with an increase in perceived attractiveness. Neither husbands nor wives in the study were swayed by their spouses’ opinions of them.
Cast says that her own husband had a possible explanation for it: put simply, new dads are fawned over. There’s no shortage of compliments for dads holding babies in public. It’s no wonder guys could get to feeling a little sexier. And whether they’re truly hotties or just the average joe is irrelevant – the baby bump in self perception is good enough for us dads.
Check the link to the study below, or this Global News article on it, for more info.
April 9, 2013
While it’s true that new dads with a baby strapped to them can get fawned over, I actually tend to think that this might have more to do with our brains instinctively rewarding us for successfully procreating. I made a baby! With a woman! Thus proving my virility to all the other women! What more could the most primitive corners of my brain want from me to prove that I am a sexy beast?
I mean, the same fawning happens to men with puppies. But I imagine that that triggers more of a “Puppies are irresistible! This is a good way to trick women into giving me attention” response rather than a “I am irresistible! Women want to have my babies!” response.
April 9, 2013
I totally think it’s the not-giving-a-f**k vibe of new dads. You made a kid, you’re awesome! You’re tired! You love your kid! And you certainly don’t have the time or EXTRA f**ks to give for making yourself meatmarket-acceptable. And as we know from dating school, women like you more when you’re not trying so hard – and even though you weren’t really TRYING before having a kid (and married), you still cared about public appearance. Once that kid comes out, you’re like JUST WANT TO SURVIVE.
I remember after my kid came, I got this feeling like a giant genetic weight was lifted off of me. Like, okay, I made a kid – my DNA lives on. Now, I can fight with whoever I want, do whatever I want and I don’t care because my genetic code lives on!
April 9, 2013
My favorite term for hot dads is “Stroller Meat.” Not sure if it was coined by a lusty cougar or a gay man, but either way it’s pretty awesome.
I think a guy with a kid becomes more attractive because they appear to be simultaneously able to get it up AND settle down. To be nasty AND nesting. Bring home the bacon AND fry it up in a pan. You get the picture.
I’m hungry all of a sudden…
April 9, 2013
My name is Zach Rosenberg and I approve of all of those images