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In the survey, macho men were perceived as being less faithful and girlier guys were chosen as the best potential long-term mates.

We ask He and She: do women really want the wussy guy?

He Says:

Please! There's no way you can crack the mystery of what women want in a man in one measly study. There's obviously more things that influence what qualities a woman actually looks for -- not just what she's expected to look for or tells people she looks for - in a long term partner. In the context of participating in a survey like this, yes, women may well make these conclusions when they're asked to judge a book by its cover, so to speak. But just because you associate certain personality traits to certain facial features doesn't predict how you'll respond to them.

She Says:

This rings true to me. I know we're all making dangerously broad generalizations here, but beefy guys just seem more unpredictable and less trustworthy. And this isn't the only study that's reinforced women's preference for more feminine fellas. A study out of UCLA not too long ago found that women are more likely to turn to musclemen for hookups and skinnier Joes for relationships. I think it's just because we've evolved past the point of needing a big guy around to provide us with food and protection. Now we want guys who are going to be faithful husbands and doting dads.