Science has spoken: penis size matters, relatively

[Mr S]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/hea ... e10875676/

Science has spoken: penis size matters, relatively

Science has spoken and, yes, gentlemen, size does matter.

A newly published study by a University of Ottawa researcher has concluded penis length exerts a measurable sway on females evaluating potential sexual partners.

"We found that flaccid penis size had a significant influence on male attractiveness," concludes the study that was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

"Males with a larger penis were rated relatively more attractive."

Biologist Brian Mautz said he came to the study through curiosity over the evolution of male genitalia. Compared to other male primates, human endowment is generous.

"This observation has generated suggestions by evolutionary biologists that the comparatively larger human penis evolved under premating sexual selection," says his paper. "Novels, magazines and popular articles often allude to the existence of a relationship between penis size and sexual attractiveness or masculinity."

Nor is the effect limited to pop culture.

"Another project I was on, looking at female preferences in genital size in fish, showed that females actually do discriminate in males before copulation even begins," Mautz said. "That potentially influences genital evolution."

Previous studies have attempted to discern what women like by, for example, asking them to choose between a series of drawings of men that vary only in the size of the anatomy in question. Mautz believes those conclusions are probably limited by self-censorship.

"When you directly ask someone about a sensitive topic, you're likely to get some bias in responses," he said. "Penis size isn't supposed to matter."

His study tried to mask its intent by introducing three variations on male appearance: body shape (shoulder-to-hip ratio), height and penis size. Those variables were presented in seven gradients, small to large, and intermixed until there were 343 combinations.

Each variation was represented in a computer-generated, life-sized picture of a naked male, which could be rotated to allow an examination of the image in profile. A study group of 105 heterosexual women were then asked which picture they found most sexually attractive.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, they preferred men who were tall, long and V-shaped. Overall, body shape accounted for about 80 per cent of the variation in attractiveness scores, penis size about six per cent and height about five per cent.

"The finding suggests that selection on penis size is potentially as strong as selection on stature."

That finding was reinforced by slower response times for some pictures.

"We found a significantly positive, albeit small, correlation between penis size and response time," the study says. "This finding is consistent with a pattern in adults whereby attractive stimuli are viewed for longer periods."

That attraction, however, wasn't a simple formula of bigger is better.

"Attractiveness increases rapidly until you reach around average for each of the three traits," said Mautz. "Then, although the attractiveness continues to increase, it doesn't increase as much."

What was truly interesting was the interaction between the three traits, Mautz said.

"If you look at how penis size interacts with male height, it has a differential effect at the lower height sizes. Take the tall men - you get a really big impact (in attractiveness) of how large your penis is relative to your height.

"An increase in penis size if you're of average height does influence your attractiveness. It doesn't do quite as much as it does at the upper end of the height spectrum.

"If you're short, it doesn't matter what size your penis is."

Statistically, 185-cm tall men get about twice the boost in attractiveness than their 165-cm friends do as length increases from six to 10 cm.

If that doesn't seem fair, Mautz hastens to point out his study only considered three male traits.

Characteristics such as musculature - not to mention a pleasant smile or great hair - were not considered.

Still, he said, his results do suggest that male genitalia factor into sexual selection and are therefore subject to evolutionary pressure.

"It shows that females can exert a choice and influence genital evolution, which is a relatively understudied area."

His conclusions also have considerable intrinsic interest.

"You're my first interview," Mautz told the Canadian Press. "I'm watching e-mails roll into my account as we speak."

[Cornfed]

I wonder if a distinction is made between monogamous societies and promiscuous ones. In a society such as the modern West with females being ploughed by numerous dirtbags, the dirtbags with larger genitals would have a mechanical advantage when it came to impregnating them. This advantage would then be passed to his male offspring. Hence it would make reproductive sense for females to favor dirtbags with large genitals. Not so much in monogamous societies.

[The_Adventurer]

In civilized societies, how penises were women seeing before choosing a mate?

[momopi]

If you consider the ancient Greeks to be civilized, the Greek athletes competed in the nude.

[Moretorque]

The Asian guy's probably do not like these conclusions.

[Winston]

Wow I guess now I know why women tend to shun me on instinct. I have a question though. How do women know how big your dick is? By looking at your crotch? What if you wear baggy pants or loose slacks? Or do they have an instinct or sixth sense about how big your dick is without looking at it?

[yick]

Single mum who has given birth to babies are going to need someone with a big old knob to touch the sides, so, if you are dating past 30 and you are going on tinder to f**k single mums then you're going to need a big old knob to make a success of it.

If you are Chinese f***ing Chinese women then it doesn't matter - are they size queens? 1.5 billion Chinese says no... pick and choose wisely.

[MrMan]

If you consider the ancient Greeks to be civilized, the Greek athletes competed in the nude.

There is some Greek literature hoping the reader or listener have a small one. From this some think the Greeks thought it was good to have a small one. Maybe they base it on Greek art, which may depict an idealized form.

This was a male-dominated society where women went into the house when male visitors arrived. So the preferences of women wouldn't have carried much weight, probably, and if a woman had experience to know the difference, she was probably a prostitute anyway.

[MrMan]

I wonder if a distinction is made between monogamous societies and promiscuous ones. In a society such as the modern West with females being ploughed by numerous dirtbags, the dirtbags with larger genitals would have a mechanical advantage when it came to impregnating them. This advantage would then be passed to his male offspring. Hence it would make reproductive sense for females to favor dirtbags with large genitals. Not so much in monogamous societies.

Not everyone with this physical trait is a dirtbag, btw.

[MarcosZeitola]

Single mum who has given birth to babies are going to need someone with a big old knob to touch the sides, so, if you are dating past 30 and you are going on tinder to f**k single mums then you're going to need a big old knob to make a success of it.

In fairness, it's a matter of shape too. For instance some men have a longer-than-average dong that isn't particularly girthy. Something such a single mom with a wide entrance may dislike even more than a shorter, fatter banana. And then there are also single moms who are super tight somehow. Especially ones that only have one kid, or ones who had a c-section. One's mileage may vary.

[Winston]

Single mum who has given birth to babies are going to need someone with a big old knob to touch the sides, so, if you are dating past 30 and you are going on tinder to f**k single mums then you're going to need a big old knob to make a success of it.

If you are Chinese f***ing Chinese women then it doesn't matter - are they size queens? 1.5 billion Chinese says no... pick and choose wisely.

Isn't that because Chinese women only care about money and having a house and sending their kids to the best schools? That seems to be what they are focused on the most. If I don't care about that, how am I supposed to vibe with them?