Male Interpersonal Attraction

Abstract

Captions on the covers of women’s magazines frequently read some version of “What Do Men Want? ” Several avid feminist women in my “Social Factors in Male Personality” course confronted me with such a magazine cover in October, 1982, and wanted to know “how do you feel about this magazine’s attempt to cater to men? ” My response was that I did not see the caption as an attempt by the magazine to cater to men. “Well, what do you see the caption as? ” one of the women asked. I replied that I saw the caption as an attempt by the magazine to delve into an area of interest to many people—academic people as well as those outside of academia. The area of interest I was referring to, of course was interpersonal attraction. In other words, the October 1982 issue of Ms. magazine, from my perspective, addressed issues such as why do we like some people and why do some others like us? What are the factors which promote interpersonal relationships and what factors cause such relationships between men and women as well as promote more harmonious relationships between them. In a sense, this is what this chapter is all about. What is it in a man that attracts others and what is it in others that attracts a man?