Men's Preference For Women With Curved Spines Has Evolutionary Roots -- New Study

A new study conducted by the University of Texas at Austin analysed the psychology behind men’s preferences for certain women over others as well as the standard of beauty they set for the opposite gender. They found that modern men prefer women with curvy derrieres - a preference rooted on prehistoric influences, the researchers state in the press release.

The study's co-author and UT Austin psychology professor, David Buss, stated that the research throws light on the fact that contrary to the notion that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, it really is not. It “rather has a coherent adaptive logic," he stated. The researchers in the release explained that women with an optimal angle of lumbar curvature attract men. This angle refers to the curve of 45 degrees from the back to the buttocks. Men naturally prefer this body type because a body with that angle of lumbar curvature is advantageous for multiple pregnancies.

The study was led by UT Austin alumnus and Bilkent University psychologist, David Lewis. He conducted two sets of studies to determine the result. The first was an analysis of vertebral wedging which is a feature in the spinal cord that can cause the curve in women’s lower backs. The second study looked at the reason behind this sort of a derriere being attractive to men. He analysed the two aspects that may cause the liking- a seemingly larger buttock and the angle in the spine itself.

For the first study, 100 men were shown pictures of women with varying spinal curves. Majority of the men were attracted to the women with a 45-degree lumbar curvature. He expounded on the functions of this sort of rear, one of which is it makes it possible to balance the weight over the hips. "These women would have been more effective at foraging during pregnancy and less likely to suffer spinal injuries," he stated. Men who preferred these women would have better mates to take care and produce healthy offspring while being healthy themselves.

For the second study, men were again shown pictures of women with varying buttock sizes and vertebral wedging. The similarity in all the women was that they had a 45.5-degree curve. It was seen that most men preferred those with a spinal curvature regardless of the size of their buttocks. Evidently, this demonstrates that men prefer women with exhibit specific angles of spinal curvature than those with buttock mass, shared the study's co-author and visiting researcher from UT Arlington, Eric Russell.

Lewis states that this is a psychological preference that has been generated over generations and cannot disappear overnight.

For questions/comments regarding the article, you may email the writer at samrichardson.ibtimes@gmail.com.