Men Find Responsive Women More Attractive and Sexually Desirable: Research Reveals

In order to answer the question whether responsiveness increases sexual desire in men and women, a study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin came up with the latest revelation.

“According to the report by Science Daily, researchers from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, the University of Rochester, and the University of Illinois, collaborated on three studies to observe people's perceptions of responsiveness. People often say that they seek a partner that is "responsive to their needs," and that such a partner would arouse their sexual interest. A responsive person is one that is supportive of another's needs and goals. "Sexual desire thrives on rising intimacy and being responsive is one of the best ways to instill this elusive sensation over time," lead researcher Gurit Birnbaum explains. "Our findings show that this does not necessarily hold true in an initial encounter, because a responsive potential partner may convey opposite meanings to different people."

Based on the first study, it was found that men who perceived female partners as more responsive also perceived considered them more feminine and more attractive. But the association between responsiveness and male partner's masculinity was not significant for women.

In the second study, participants were made to interact with a responsive or non-responsive individual of the opposite sex, and they were allowed to view that individual's photo (the same photo was given to each participant). They were then asked to interact online with this person, and discuss in detail about a present problem in their life.

The data suggests that men who interacted with a responsive female individual perceived her as more feminine and as more sexually attractive than the men did in the unresponsive condition. Women are more cautious while interpreting a stranger's expressions of responsiveness, and their perceptions of the stranger mostly remained unaffected by perceived responsiveness which may show conflicting trends amongst different women.

The third and final study concluded that, actual responsiveness of a female partner led men to perceive her as more feminine, and consequently to feel more sexually aroused. Increased sexual arousal was further associated with linked to both increased perception of partner attractiveness and greater desire for a long-term relationship with that partner.

But with women, things are different. "We still do not know why women are less sexually attracted to responsive strangers; it may not necessarily have to do with 'being nice.' Women may perceive a responsive stranger as less desirable for different reasons," Prof. Birnbaum cautions", at the end.