Why Men Like Blondes (Or Brunettes), According To Scientific Research
Do blondes have more fun? Why do men like blondes so much? Here's what the official research says.
Natalia_Grabovskaya / Shutterstock Could the color of your hair affect how people see you? Does every hair color come with its own personality type?
Research has found that people do, in fact, tend to associate certain hair colors with specific personality traits.
So, what does this mean for you, whether you're a brunette, a redhead or a blonde?
For our blonde friends, it turns out that even the age-old adage that "blondes have more fun" is a myth, so it's hard to know what's true these days.
As far as comparing how much fun blonde women have versus brunettes, researchers published a study in the Medical Journal of Australia concluding there was no basis for this.
But what kind of "fun" do men anticipate having with blonde women versus those who are brunettes?
Why do men like blondes?
Studies have shown that women with lighter hair colors are often rated as being more approachable in venues like nightclubs than their brunette counterparts. Blondes also tend to earn more money and marry richer.
This may seem like a bitter pill to swallow for the 70 percent of the world's population who qualify as brunettes. But before reaching for the bleach, take note of a 2011 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
For the study, a fair-skinned woman visited three different nightclubs on three separate nights — one as a brunette, one as a blonde and one as a redhead. To keep each of her hair colors looking natural, her hair was dyed by a professional.
More men approached the woman in the nightclub when her locks were dyed blonde, which implied that the lighter shade was the ultimate winner.
But the other part of the study's goal was to find out how men interpret each hair color and what qualities they tend to associate with brunettes, redheads and blondes. As it turned out, men attributed very distinct personality traits to each hair color.
While blondes may be the ones who are having easier access in the dating and job scenes, it's brunettes who are taken more seriously.
Researchers asked men from the nightclub to rate photographs of the same woman with each hair shade (blonde, brown or red). As a redhead, she was rated as being more temperamental.
But as a blonde, she was seen as being needier.
However, as a brunette, the men had rated her as more "physically attractive, intelligent, approachable, competent" — and arrogant. (Ouch.)
But the problem remained that, despite being seen as needy, the men still approached the blonde woman with the most frequency — even after the men had characterized the brunettes as more physically attractive and approachable.
In another study with the opinions of over 350 men, the researchers cited an evolutionary explanation for males' preference for ladies with blonde tresses.
Women with blonde hair were seen as more "youthful" and, therefore, better caregivers for potential offspring.
However, The Journal of Social Psychology demonstrated that men felt the same way about women with both blonde and brunette hair. However, they did not feel this way when it came to women who had black hair.
These preferences were all related to men making "complex judgments about women concerning their desirable relationship and parenting potential based on discernable characteristics such as hair color."
So, do guys prefer blondes or brunettes?
Even science claims men make "complex judgments," even if subconsciously, about seeking someone with whom they'd hypothetically procreate if we were all still living in caves.
The fairer-haired aren't necessarily winner-takes-all.
But it doesn't definitively mean anyone should change their appearance, assuming that it will make them more attractive. Think of bombshell Megan Fox or the ubiquitous "cool girl" Zooey Deschanel — they put men in overdrive en masse.
Just like trends in fashion and unattractive personalities, many factors may contribute to how men perceive different women and whether they will find them alluring. Everyone has their own preferences, especially when it comes to intentionally seeking commitment in a long-term partner, especially if they have plans down the road to settle down and have children.
Learn your strengths, tap into them, radiate confidence and remember how charming a simple smile can be. Buy a wig — see what happens!
Kait Smith is an editor, writer, social media manager, higher education professional, and graduate student; the list goes on and on. Visit her website for more.