When it comes to life partners women don't want macho men

The latest research from psychologists in the UK suggests that women see 'masculine' men as unsuitable long-term partners.

The psychologists from Durham and St Andrews Universities found that women regard men with more feminine facial features as more committed and less likely to cheat on their partners.

The researchers questioned more than 400 British men and women regarding the digitally altered pictures of male faces made to look more masculine or feminine.

The participants were asked to judge the faces on the following categories: dominance, ambition, wealth, faithfulness, commitment, parenting and warmth; they did this by clicking on the point of a scale.

It was found that men with masculine faces and features such as a square jaw, larger nose and smaller eyes, were classed as significantly more dominant, less faithful, worse parents and as having personalities that were less warm.

Their more 'feminine' counterparts, however who had finer facial features with fuller lips, wide eyes and thinner, more curved eyebrows, were judged as far more suitable partners.

Both the women and the men who took part in the test judged the more feminine more favourably on faithfulness, commitment, parenting and warmth.

The scientists say the research supports earlier research about masculinity and perceptions of personality and gives further insight into what people see in others when choosing potential partners.

Lead author, Dr. Lynda Boothroyd, a lecturer with Durham University's Department of Psychology, says the research shows a high amount of agreement between women about what they see, personality wise, when asked to 'judge a book by its cover'.

The survey also found that faces which appeared healthier were seen as more desirable in terms of all personality traits compared to those who looked unhealthy, and older faces were generally viewed more positively compared to younger ones.

Professor David Perrett from St Andrews University says the research also found that it is men's health that conveys all round good qualities for partnership and personality and contradicts claims that machismo denotes fitness and disease immunity.

He says masculinity may buy dominance but not necessarily tip top physical condition and women see a healthy man as a source of wealth, and fit for family life.

The study is published in the current edition of Personality and Individual Differences.