Stereotypical belief holds that the majority of women prefer dominant men with a masculine body type. But there is good news for men who do not fit this description. New research suggests that most women are only attracted to this type of man for a few days a month – during ovulation – and do not desire them as long-term partners. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), led by Kelly Gildersleeve, say their findings suggest that the desire for masculine characteristics during ovulation may be a result of genetic evolution. The research is due to be published online this month in the journal Psychological Bulletin. According to the investigators, whether women change their mate preferences during the most fertile point in their cycle has been an ongoing discussion for more than 20 years. The research team decided to analyze 50 published and unpublished studies that looked at this association.

Women may ‘sniff out’ preferred mates From this, they found that women demonstrate a significant “shift” in mate preference during their menstrual cycle. Furthermore, they found that women may determine which mate they prefer through a man’s body scent. Share on Pinterest Researchers say that during ovulation, women experience a “mate preference shift” – meaning they are attracted to more masculine men. The researchers explain that previous studies have asked women to smell a variety of T-shirts that have been worn by men with different degrees of body and facial symmetry. These experiments revealed that during ovulation in the menstrual cycle, women preferred the odors of men who were more symmetrical. The investigators say that past research has shown that facial and body symmetry are linked with better health, large bodies and sexual characteristics. They add that facial and body symmetry could be a sign of genetic quality. But the research team says they have a theory that may explain this “mate preference shift” in women.