Apparently some men are still battling one another for the affection of women.
A recent study published in Current Biology suggests that if a fundraiser looked more “attractive,” men will attempt to outbid each other for access to a potential partner.
The study conducted in the U.K. obtained its data through the London Marathon’s online charity platform. Participants were asked to rate the profiles of 4,500 fundraisers based on attractiveness, notes CNBC.
The study suggests men would donate four times the amount they would to a less attractive female or male, and although men would outbid other men, they would not get competitive with another woman. Researchers are calling this “competitive altruism.”
"How we behave in relation to altruism and giving is shaped by a lot of different factors," study co-author Sarah Smith of the University of Bristol told the site. "So yes, people want to do good, but there are a lot of other motivations that are determining how they behave."
Researchers say this behaviour was not found in women, even when there was an attractive man in the room.
And although the study says men may not be aware they are getting competitive, women may be noticing. One survey of 1,000 women by Men's Health found kindness to be the third most important character trait in the opposite sex.
What do you think of this study? Let us know in the comments below.
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