For women, love is more important than sex. And for men? It's all about sex.
That's the word from an Australian study on health, intimacy and social relations. Nearly 1,800 men and women--heterosexual and gay, married, single and cohabitating between the ages of 18 and 59--were asked to rank the qualities they valued most in a bedroom partner.
Although both men and women agreed they wanted someone who is interesting, fun, companionable and shares common interests and activities, the primary findings broke down sharply by gender lines:
* A woman prefers to be with someone who loves her.
* A man wants someone who enjoys sex.
"We obviously need to feel that someone is especially concerned about us," chief researcher Jake Najman of the University of Queensland told The Age. "I would argue that people are looking for an affectionate and caring partner over a rich, intelligent, attractive or talented sexual partner."
Ah, we're such a pragmatic lot. Sexual technique emerged as a low priority. "Sex was preferred with someone who enjoys the experience, a quality quite distinct from technical lovemaking ability," Najman told The Age.
Other interesting findings:
* Younger people prefer someone who is fun to be with.
* Older people want a partner who cares about them and enjoys sex.
* Married people care most about enjoying sex and having sex with someone who cares about them.
* Homosexual males place the highest emphasis on someone who is fun and enjoys sex.
* Both men and women care least about looks, financial status and intelligence.
It wasn't always this way. In a similar 1939 survey, it was found that dependability and emotional maturity were the most sought-after qualities. By the 1980s, that was replaced with mutual attraction and love, reports Bloomberg News.
The study findings were published in Marriage and Family Review.
--From the Editors at Netscape
That's the word from an Australian study on health, intimacy and social relations. Nearly 1,800 men and women--heterosexual and gay, married, single and cohabitating between the ages of 18 and 59--were asked to rank the qualities they valued most in a bedroom partner.
Although both men and women agreed they wanted someone who is interesting, fun, companionable and shares common interests and activities, the primary findings broke down sharply by gender lines:
* A woman prefers to be with someone who loves her.
* A man wants someone who enjoys sex.
"We obviously need to feel that someone is especially concerned about us," chief researcher Jake Najman of the University of Queensland told The Age. "I would argue that people are looking for an affectionate and caring partner over a rich, intelligent, attractive or talented sexual partner."
Ah, we're such a pragmatic lot. Sexual technique emerged as a low priority. "Sex was preferred with someone who enjoys the experience, a quality quite distinct from technical lovemaking ability," Najman told The Age.
Other interesting findings:
* Younger people prefer someone who is fun to be with.
* Older people want a partner who cares about them and enjoys sex.
* Married people care most about enjoying sex and having sex with someone who cares about them.
* Homosexual males place the highest emphasis on someone who is fun and enjoys sex.
* Both men and women care least about looks, financial status and intelligence.
It wasn't always this way. In a similar 1939 survey, it was found that dependability and emotional maturity were the most sought-after qualities. By the 1980s, that was replaced with mutual attraction and love, reports Bloomberg News.
The study findings were published in Marriage and Family Review.
--From the Editors at Netscape
