Money Ain't No Thing
To smarter-than-average women, that is. Or at least so says a piece in this month's Psychology Today about University of Michigan graduate student Christine Stanik's research findings.
Stanik, whose research focuses on mate selection and romantic entanglements, found that the higher a college woman's IQ, the less she valued a high-earner as mate potential. The study also found that women with higher IQs were less likely to believe in or appreciate stereotypical gender roles in romantic relationships.
So what does this mean for dating singles? Stanik felt that the women in the study were saying they had no issue with being the breadwinner (as well as waiting much longer than previous generations to partner and mate), and therefore weighed a man's ability to be a supportive partner and parent more heavily than his ability to bring home the bacon. This in turn is also good news for the guys out there hoping to attract a smarty-pants gal, as they'll have more time to perfect their lifestyle before settling down.
Comments
This is ironic, as it is typically the men that hold blue collar type jobs that are intimidated by successful women. Good news for the average American man, right?! Sounds to me like you can have your cake, and eat it too! Go get ‘em boys!
The part about college women not needing successful men is ridiculous. Speaking as a college graduate, I wouldn’t be interested in someone who isn’t at least on my level in terms of education and status. A man probably wrote this.
Well, I can attest that I’m not male (I wrote the blog post), and the person who undertook the study isn’t as well.
The study didn’t say women didn’t need successful men. Not at all! What the study found was that intelligent women didn’t place a man’s earning potential as high on their list of wants/needs in a partner. Money ISN’T everything for higher IQ women - or so the study says.
I’ll be the first to agree with this finding on a personal level; I’ve never found a man’s income to be of any consequence (to me).
I agree wholeheartedly with the findings of the study; I’ve lived it. In fact, I am apprehensive toward men who have higher than average incomes, because my general experiences have made me correlate wealth with less than desirable qualities in those who possess it. Not that I’m perfect.
I think it depends, though, on why he earns less. Is he doing something “noble” or is he just a deadbeat? I have to think that the latter would bother all women, no matter their IQ.
I have several good friends who are single males…they may be very glad to hear this news! Do you think it’s possible that average-income men are intimidated by high-IQ, college grad women, or do men prefer women with brains and degrees?
As a smarter-than-average woman, I definitely agree that money isn’t everything. In my current relationship, he makes more than I do. In my previous dating relationship, I made more than him. I think it makes more of a difference for guys though.
The love of my life was a brilliant actor, sometimes employed, sometimes not. I never cared. What was important was that we shared a love of theater, a love of words, and love.
It means that a woman does NOT HAVE TO BE A GOLD DIGGER because she can support herself. Some women that do not make money look for men to support them instead of trying to improve themselves. To the women that says she will only date on her “LEVEL” money is not what makes the man. There are plenty of college graduates that are idiots. Judge each person individually.
My boyfriend makes less money than I do, but he is just as smart as me if not smarter! LOL
He loves his job. He is not a slave to money. My last boyfriend was rich. He made way more money than me and he was miserable. To pick a man because of his wealth is sad.
Sadly, the norm is that women often side with wealth and hegemonic principles because most women, and men, have no interest in learning, “why our social lives are the way the are”. They just go along and never question it. We live a capitalist money and status/privilege obsessed society so like it or not, this is what the average person looks for. Education is not accessible or appreciated by most people so the majority of the population suffers in terms of mate selection because they all want to “get ahead”. No pun intended… Intelligence is the romance of the Gods…
Having a blue collar job doesnt make you stupid just like having a job such as a doctor doesnt make you smart — perhaps a good Parrot.