Can you tell a good leader from their face or their name? We'll look at the results of two new experiments to find out. Plus I talk to Zuzana Štěrbová about her research on how childhood experiences impact our love lives. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! The Face...

Supporters of the podcast on Patreon have chosen the topic for this month's episode, and it's a family affair: we find out if parents prefer attractive partners for their offspring. We will also discover if our partners tend to resemble our siblings (*shudder*). And I speak to Jaime Benjamin, a PhD student at the University of Dundee, about her new research on how men and women trade off appearance against wealth in potential partners. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on...

This month we investigate unusual aspects of mating behaviour. How many young adults have experience of threesomes (sex with two partners at the same time)? And why does anyone read -- and write -- sexually explicit fan fiction? I also interview Naomi Muggleton, a PhD student from the University of Warwick, about her research on women's long- and short-term mate preferences and how they vary across cultures. (I've also covered Naomi's previous work on body odour: click here for that...

For the first time, I hand over editorial control to you, the listeners of The Psychology of Attractiveness Podcast. Supporters of the podcast on Patreon have chosen what we'll discuss in today's show. Thanks to them, we'll find out why people choose to stay single, and how sex makes men immoral. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Rate me! Rate,...

How do mobile phones improve and damage our relationships? We look at a study of sexting among high school students, and find out about 'phubbing': a modern relationship behaviour you have almost certainly experienced. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! How Popular...

Some of you may know that last summer I started a new job at Basel University in Switzerland. During the autumn semester, I taught a class on personality and intimate relationships. One thing I had the class do is read research papers and prepare short written assignments on them, in a style similar to my podcast. Several of the students also recorded their assignments, so here is a special bonus episode featuring their work. Almost none of the students are native English speakers, and until...

It's a bad boy special. We discover if a spell at an army training camp can change the type of woman a man finds most attractive. We also find out what tattoos say about a man's health, masculinity, and perceived parenting ability. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the...

In this episode we poke our noses into two new research papers on body odour and attractiveness. Can women tell if another woman is fertile simply by sniffing her armpits? And can we sweeten our natural aroma by eating fragrant food? Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the...

Download the MP3 Sex and drugs: Does taking illicit substances affect your mating success? We also find out how a dose of testosterone influences what men find attractive. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and blogs not available elsewhere. Read the transcript! Sex & Drugs: Can Substance Use Enhance Your Love Life? How Testosterone...

In a belated attempt to understand the results of the recent US elections, we harness the power of attractiveness psychology (because polling doesn't seem to work). Do we vote for candidates based on their voices? Is our party political preference linked to our sexual behaviour? We find out in this month's show. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Conservatives and Liberals: From the Polling Place to the Bedroom Deeper Voiced...

Download the MP3 Does viewing pornography damage your relationship? In this episode we look at two recent research studies that seek to answer this question using very different methods. Also, does Trump’s red “power tie” really make him appear more dominant? Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Porn: Does it Damage your Relationship? Trump’s Powerless Red “Power Tie” Does viewing pornography have adverse effects on your relationship? Caden...

Download the MP3 Men are more attractive if they are intelligent, but what do smarts do for feminine appeal? We also find out whether physically attractive women are more interested in short-term flings or serious long-term relationships. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Are Men Attracted to Clever Women? Are Attractive Women More Interested in Flings? Are smarter women more attractive? Nottingham Trent University/Flickr The articles...

Download the MP3 Do opposites attract? We look at two studies of couples who are different in some way. Are couple who don't match in attractiveness less trusting of another? And do couples who have different body shapes attract prejudice and discrimination? Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! “Date Someone Your own Size” ♪ When You’re in Love With a Beautiful Woman (or Handsome Man)… ♫ Is your partner bigger or smaller than you, and what...

Download the MP3 Something more than friends. We look at three new studies on attraction to opposite-sex friends. How do men and women differ in their attraction to friends? And can you make a friend fall in love with you by falling in love with them first? Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Why are we Attracted to Friends? What a sickeningly cheerful bunch of friends. No doubt they are having lots of sex with each other, and we can only hope...

In this episode, how do our g******s affect the psychology of attraction and sex? We look at new research on female genital mutilation and its effects on women's sexuality, and find out whether a woman is more likely to experience an orgasm if her man has a longer than average penis. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Do Women Have More Orgasms if their Sex Partner has a Longer than Average Penis? Does FGM Make Women Less...

We discover why beauty is in the nose of the beholder in this odor special. We'll find out whether spraying scented deodorant all over your body can make your smell more masculine or feminine, and we'll also learn if a man's whole mating psychology is turned topsy turvy when he catches a whiff of female pheromones. Also, this is episode 100 of the podcast so if you want to send me lots of gifts then go right ahead. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in...

Fertility and fairness: We look at how the menstrual cycle influences women's sharing behaviour, and find out why your hormones (and the hormones of other women) have an impact on what you feel is fair. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Fertility and Fairness New research suggests that, when women are most fertile, they demand more from their exchanges with other women. Dwayne Bent/Flickr The articles covered in the...

Are you sick of how you smell? We investigate the link between susceptibility to disease and attraction to the body odour of others and ourselves. Also, how do women choose to wear red clothes? Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Sick of How You Smell? Put on That Red Dress? Our natural perfume can attract, or repel, potential mates: and sometimes ourselves! wackystuff/Flickr The articles covered in the show:...

The perils of dating your boss: do workplace romances have a positive or negative effect on your job prospects? And predicting the sex of your child: do women who prefer a certain type of man think they're more likely to give birth to boys or girls? Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! It’s a Boy! Women Who Want a Son are More Attracted to Dominant Men The Perils of Dating Your Boss I don't think donning a giant shower...

Let's take a walk on the wild side as we discover how a preference for macho men might be related to where we like to take an evening stroll. We'll also find out why sisters agree—and disagree—over what constitutes an attractive partner. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Fear of Crime and the Allure of Bad Boys Sisters Choosing Him For Themselves Women may prefer dominant men because they make good bodyguards. Warner...

What women want: we investigate whether women's preference for taller men leads to a lifetime of happiness, and find out if it's more important for a man to be generous than handsome. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Altruistic Vs Handsome: Which Makes a Man More Attractive? Does a Taller Husband Make for a Happier Wife? "Oh, FJ-2547, you really shouldn't have!" Is it more important for a man to be generous than...

I recently attended the Galton Institute's conference on mate choice, and was lucky to grab an interview with Prof. Melinda Mills, head of The University of Oxford's Department of Sociology. We spoke about Melinda's research on ethnicity and internet dating, why attitudes to migration shape who we are willing to date, and discussed some of the difficulties inherent in studying dating preferences on the web. I also talk about some new research on selfies and who takes them. Download the...

Masculine masks: what a bushy beard says about a man's attitudes to women, and why a hit of the male hormone testosterone could have you reaching for your make up bag. Download the MP3 NOTE (8th Feb 2016): The scientists behind the testosterone and make up research have voluntarily retracted their paper. For more information, visit Retraction Watch. Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Feeling Hormonal? Slap on the Makeup Are Bearded Men...

Checking in? I talk to Dasa Fabjan about how the attractiveness of hotel guests can influence the service they receive. We'll also find out why the size of your Christmas bonus might be linked to your appearance. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Paid and Pretty Hotel receptionists are often asked to project an attractive appearance, but do they also pay attention to the appearance of their customers? Linford...

Diet and desire: Why you and your partner shouldn't turn your nose up at garlic, and how men get greedy when there's a woman in the room. Also, since it's #AntiBullyingWeek, we also find out why bullying may be a mating tactic. Download the MP3 Rate me! Rate, review, or listen in iTunes or in Stitcher. Read the transcript! Another Slice of Pizza, Darling? Eating Garlic Combats Body Odor! Do Bullies Want Love, Not War? Men eat more pizza when in the company of women. Louise Ma /...