A JESP study showed single women are more attracted to men who are already in a committed relationship.
A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology by two social psychologists, Melissa Burkley and Jessica Parker of Oklahoma State University found that single women are particularly drawn to other people’s partners.
Subjects were told that he or she had been matched by a computer with a like-minded partner, and each was shown a photo of an attractive person of the opposite sex. Half of the subjects were told that their match was already romantically involved with someone else, while the other half were told that their match was unattached.
Single women showed a distinct preference for mate poaching. When the man was described as unattached, 59 percent of the single women were interested in pursuing him. When that same man was described as being in a committed relationship, 90 percent were interested.
Most women who engage in mate poaching do not think the attached status of the target played a role in their poaching decision, but this study shows that belief to be false.
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