Men and women equally attracted to younger partners, research finds
Even if they do not realise it, both sexes tend to slightly prefer younger people when going on a date, according to the study from the University of California, Davis.
The research was carried out on around 4,500 people who went on a blind date via a US dating site which matches people based on their interests and who are looking for long-term love.
Professor Paul Eastwick, lead author on the study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said: 'After a blind date, participants were slightly more attracted to younger partners, and this trend was equally true for men and women.
'This preference for youth among women will be shocking to many people because, in mixed-gender couples, men tend to be older than women, plus women generally say they prefer older partners.
'But women's preferences on the dates themselves revealed something else entirely.'
Men and women find youth a little more appealing in initial attraction setting - whether they know it or not
Professor Paul Eastwick, University of California, Davis
The study looked at people of all ages, with daters ranging from 22 to 85, who were using the US-based matchmaking company Tawkify.
Around half of daters were men and half women, and most people were set up on mixed-sex dates.
The researchers also looked at whether women with higher incomes might be inclined to choose younger partners.
However, they found very little evidence that income – either their date's or their own – influenced these women's (slight) preference for youth, the researchers said.
The study did not look at whether romantic attraction on a first date led to longer-term relationships.
Prof Eastwick said his study showed that 'men and women find youth a little more appealing in initial attraction setting – whether they know it or not.'
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