It's been said that many women marry men like their dads, but a new study reported by the BBC provides evidence that women actually do choose partners that have a resemblance to their fathers, and vice versa, specifically in relation to facial features and structure.
The phenomenon of determining an adult mate based on learned traits in childhood is referred to as sexual imprinting and has long been studied. But what makes this particular article interesting is that it reveals that this occurrence is based on a personal bond with a parent rather than a genetic connection to them. As the article explains:
[Previous studies] have shown women use dads as a template for picking a mate even if they are adopted, suggesting imprinting is led by experience not simply genes.
I find this fascinating, but since I don't have much practice in measuring facial proportions, it's difficult for me to apply it to my own life. What do you think? Can you make the connection between your dad and the men you're attracted to?
Canada Goose
Rosato
Nails Inc
hmm not me! I am spanish and my first love as well as my last boyfriend were black and my current bf is white..they look NOTHING like my dad lol..on a random note my current bf and my last one had a lot of similarities to him..like all of them had dad issues (there dad left them while they were growing up, or in my dad' case the moment he was born!) and I notice random qualities that are alike in all of them..just not physical
1Neh...
(I don't have enough respect for my father when it comes to marriage, so maybe that's why. I do crack up when I see the Devil on Reaper though -- he's an a$$ like my father.)
2Absolutely not. I tend to be more attracted to white guys, and I can't even see any personality traits at all that my boyfriend and dad have in common.
3Wow, this is waaaay off for me - my hubby isn't even the same race as my father! And personality-wise, total opposites!
4Like Martini Lush...different race and does not look alike! My boyfriend is white...my Dad is chinese...
5hm...My dad was not a huge part of my life, my parents divorced when I was 2 and we only saw my dad every once in a while. But I am generally attracted to guys that are tall with dark hair and light eyes. Which could also describe my dad..interesting.
6Um, there's no physical similarities, but there are some similar personal traits. Both my Dad and my hubbie can be very indulging toward their wives. Both men have been lectured by their families for "spoiling" their wives. Their rebuttal was the same. They both said,"I love her." LOL
7Um... None of the guys I've ever been attracted to ever looked like my dad. Maybe they had similar personality traits, but they never looked similar in any way.
8omg...don't make me barf.....my dad is a druggie and a fat man...hubby is NOTHING like him...
9false.
10That really creeps me out, I wouldn't want to date someone who looks like my dad. My ex-bf was similar to my dad in some ways, but he doesn't really look like him, and most of the guys that I'm attracted to are the opposite of what my dad is like.
11Nope. Not in obvious looks, and probably not in proportions either.
12I suppose this would apply if you actually like your dad and how he treated you and the rest of your family. If you don't, I can see using him as a template of men to *avoid*. I guess it just depends on personal experience. Personally, mine are not similar at all...
13I don't see any similarities between my father and my fiance.
14I can see similarities, but not necessarily in features (though hair, body type are kind of similar). My guy and my dad are both physically strong. I want a man to protect me, and i have always felt safe around both. I want someone who can comfort me and support me, and i have both in them. I also want someone who can do anything, and both can. Although in my case they are similar, i could really call this just a coincidence. But i can also say, if not for my dad I may never have thought I could find someone so great.
15I love my father with all my heart, but I would never marry a man just like him.
16Ewwwww....I specifically avoid traits in guys that my dad has. He's a good dad and all, but I really really REALLY wouldn't want the traits he has, in a bf/husband. If I was my mom he would drive me CRAZY!!!
17uhhh, no way!!
18"I suppose this would apply if you actually like your dad and how he treated you and the rest of your family. If you don't, I can see using him as a template of men to *avoid.*"
I can agree to this. (Mr. Mouse does not resemble my father in any manner.)
19Wow. Everybody disagrees. I think maybe my ex-boyfriend looks kind of like my dad, except a lot skinnier. My dad's pretty stocky, and my ex-boyfriend's really skinny.
20I snagged a guy very similar to my Grandpa! I totally love my Grandpa, even though I've lived states away from him for most of my life. Similar body type, humor, prank-loving, musical talent, into gadgets and figuring out how things work, etc.
My father wasn't any of those nor does he have a similar body type or facial structure to my boyfriend -- and was an ass to boot (restraining order as proof, heh).
My boyfriend's mom has curly hair (like me) and is pale (like me, only I have a billions freckles), similar height range... and that's about the only similarities, but a couple people have commented how we look super similar.
21Behaviour, yes. My dad bends over backwards to help my mother and I grew up in an environment where this was expected.
I guess that has rubbed off on me.
Looks? They are nothing alike. I look like my dad though.
22I certainly hope not.
23my boyfriend and my dad have a lot in common, personality-wise. but they look NOTHING alike.
24I would be so happy to meet and marry a man like my father, but not necessarily look like my father.
25This Certainly does not apply to me. If you see my dad and fiance you'll understand why.
26My fiancee is a lot like my dad in their hobbies & skills, but NOT in their appearance. That would be weird.
27I disagree but if it is true, I hope I stay single till I die
28as I can not stand my dad
I've never dated anyone who looks even remotely like my dad. And I would never date anyone who acts even remotely like my dad because he's a jerk.
29i agree with this...my dad is cool, dresses well, and is good looking for a dad...he wears his hair in a faux-hawk and has a little soul patch...and i go for similar kind of guys who also dress sportly like he does...he's a good dad and a good husband, so i can't complain...i mean the resemblances are not uncanny, but the similarities might be there
30I actually dumped a guy because he resembled my dad too much, both in looks and personality.
I think if a daughter idolizes her father, she'll look for the same qualities. And obviously, if the father-daughter relationship isn't that good, she'll want the exact opposite.
31I would have to agree... My husband doesn't really look like my father, but they are built the same... same height, weight, and shoe size (my husband LOVES that because he gets awesome hand-me-downs all the time!) Personality-wise, my hubby and my dad are a lot alike. They have the same hobbies, the same ideals, similar humor, and similar work ethics. This makes sense to me, seeing as I have always been a Daddy's girl - I have a lot of respect for him and the things he has done with my life - that I would want to marry a man who is similar.
32My dad looks like george clooney
Thats pretty much everyone's type lol
Buck ick at the thought.. i dont agree with the article!
But no i dont think my fiance looks like him. Hes more Rodrigo Santoro looking
33This is not for my sister or me, my sis's boyfriend of like 4 years is white and the guy I had a huge crush on is Asian. I don't know, I'm trying to step out of the box. My dad was a little disappointed at first, but he got over it. I heard that girls find boyfriends who like their brother, lucky me my brother is so cute!
34I don't like my dad, so I don't want anybody like him or even remotely reminds me of him.
35I don't know so much about the looks bit- but I do tend to fall for guys with my dad's personality.
36Physically, none of my bfs looked like my dad. Don't get me wrong, my dad's good-looking man, but... way too creepy to date someone who looks like him.
Personality-wise there aren't much similarities either. Except maybe stubborn-ness and they have that desire to protect me and take care of me.
37Not true for the bio dad. But my hubby and stepdad are similar personality-wise.
38Nope, my husband looks nothing like my dad. But oddly people tell us that WE look alike all the time. Its just bc we are both tall and pale with blue eyes though
39well the guys i'm attracted to are taller than me. so is my dad. and thats about it.
40I would prefer not to ...
41ewwwww
42My husband is polar opposite of my Dad. Light hair, light eyes, on the short side, and go-with-the flow. My Dad is opposite of that.
43I actually won't date a guy with a full beard because my dad has one.
The guys I've dated have varied, and none of them have really resembled either my dad or my stepdad in personality or looks. The closest I can say is that my dad is 6 feet and built, and I do tend to gravitate towards men with more of that build- I don't like really tall or skinny guys. But even then, that's a stretch, especially since I get along with my stepdad far better than my dad.
44Well, not physical traits but I do like guys who come off as intelligent like my dad but intelligent guys don't consciously remind me of him.
45Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.