Have you ever disagreed with your mother over which Hollywood star is more handsome? Scientific research now offers an explanation for why such generational divides in attraction exist, pinpointing how age fundamentally alters what women find appealing in a man's appearance.
The Study: Rating Masculinity, Beards and Body Shape
Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University conducted a study involving 122 Polish women aged between 19 and 70. The participants were asked to assess a series of digitally altered photographs of men, which varied in key physical traits.
The images manipulated four distinct features: facial masculinity, the amount of facial hair, overall body shape, and muscle mass. The findings, published in the academic journal Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, uncovered clear and consistent patterns linked to the age of the women surveyed.
Key Findings: A Shift from Muscles to Beards
The analysis revealed that older women rated men with fuller beards and slimmer builds as more attractive compared to younger women. This preference was particularly pronounced among postmenopausal women, who also found stereotypically feminine facial features and a pronounced V-shaped torso less appealing.
Conversely, women in their reproductive years showed a stronger preference for more muscular, clean-shaven physiques. The researchers propose these differences are not random but reflect evolutionary priorities at different life stages.
The Evolutionary Explanation Behind Changing Tastes
For younger women, a muscular build may signal physical fitness, strength, and an ability to provide protection and pass on beneficial genes—key traits when considering a long-term partner for raising children.
As women age and pass menopause, reproductive concerns fade. A slimmer build may then be perceived as an indicator of general health and approachability, whereas excessive muscularity could seem intimidating. Meanwhile, a fuller beard can be associated with maturity, social status, and stability—qualities that may become more valuable than raw reproductive potential.
The team links this shift to the 'grandmother hypothesis,' where older women redirect their focus from mating to supporting their family and grandchildren, thus prioritising reliability over genetic fitness in a partner.
From Zac Efron to Pierce Brosnan: A Pop Culture Example
These findings provide a scientific lens through which to view common pop culture divides. They help explain why younger women might gravitate towards the clean-shaven, muscular frame of someone like Zac Efron, while older women may prefer the bearded, slimmer elegance of an actor like Pierce Brosnan.
This trend is echoed in broader surveys. A recent poll of 2,500 UK women found that seven in ten preferred a man with facial hair over one with a sculpted torso, suggesting a move away from the traditional 'six-pack' ideal towards a look perceived as conveying more character and maturity.
The study underscores that attraction is not a fixed concept but a dynamic one, deeply intertwined with life stage and evolutionary biology.
