Attractive Men Make You Take More Risks

Attractive Men Make You Take More Risks

Friday, 10 April 2015

If you're ever sat opposite a good looking man at the poker table the best thing you can do is fold according to researchers in Canada.

Following a series of experiments looking into human interaction, Eugene Chan and his team at the University of Technology Sydney found that men are more likely to make high-risk moves when confronted by a good looking man.

During one experiment the participants were shown images of attractive men (models), sexy women (Victoria's Secret modes) and average looking people. The participants were then asked to say "yes" and receive a guaranteed prize of $100 or opt to "gamble" for $1,000. Before making their decision the participants were told that the odds of winning the larger prize were 90 percent against.

Reviewing the results, the researchers discovered that the men (all of whom were heterosexual) presented with images of attractive males were more likely to gamble for the $1,000 prize than men who viewed images of sexy women or average looking people. The tests also showed that the perceived beauty of an opponent had no bearing on women's decision making process.

What's the reason for this behaviour? According to Chan, men do this to "compensate for perceived inferiority."

"This financial risk-taking occurs because men want to appear more desirable to women, and having more money is one way to do so. Taking financial risks is one quick way to get more money, even if it might not be a sure thing," said Chan.

If these results are to be believed then the next time you find yourself sat opposite Patrik Antonius at the poker table then you should fold rather than risk getting into a battle of egos for your stack.



Tags: Patrik Antonius, science, research