Spread the word: the much-maligned act of 'manspreading' could be key to dating success.

When looking to impress prospective partners, new research has suggested that appearing larger and stretching out can place you in a position of dominance and make you seem like an alpha male.

Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a study by using speed dating videos and a smartphone app similar to Tinder. She found that those who presented themselves with arms spread wide, knees pushed apart and puffed-out chests tended to see more 'matches' than those who appeared reserved.

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