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Brainy girls have marriage handicap
the Australian ^ | January 03, 2005 | "correspondents in London"

Posted on 01/02/2005 2:29:21 PM PST by FormerACLUmember

A HIGH IQ is a hindrance for women wanting to get married, while it is an asset for men, according to a study by four British universities.

The study found the likelihood of marriage increased by 35 per cent for males for each 16-point increase in IQ.

But for females, there was a 40 per cent drop for each 16-point rise.

The findings, by the universities of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow, were published in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

The study was based on the IQs of 900 males and females between their 10th and 40th birthdays.

Paul Brown, a psychologist and professor at Nottingham University, told the Sunday Times: "Women in their late 30s who have gone for careers after the first flush of university and who are among the brightest of their generation are finding that men are just not interesting enough."

Writer and broadcaster Claire Rayner said intelligent men often prefered a less brainy partner.

"A chap with a high IQ is going to get a demanding job that is going to take up a lot of his energy and time.

"In many ways he wants a woman who is an old-fashioned wife and looks after the home, a copy of his mum in a way."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Japan; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: iq; japan; marraige; unitedkingdom
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To: FormerACLUmember
My experience is probably similar to most guys.

Before I was married, the first thing which caught my attention about a girl was her face. Next was her figure.

If her looks were ok, then you notice her personality, and morality.

I think most guys want a girl who is about as smart as they are. I don't think they would mind her being very intelligent but would not want a girl who was dumb unless they were pretty slow themself.

A girl who is strikingly beautiful but has a lousy personality or morals becomes unattractive very fast.

201 posted on 01/02/2005 4:50:50 PM PST by yarddog
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To: yarddog
"I think what he is saying is a few attractive girls who have poor personalities and bad temperament can still get by on their looks."

'Tis true. A buddy of mine never seems to learn this lesson: his sole criterion, when it comes to dating, seems to be "is she hot". If it was merely a criterion that might be okay, but as long as I've known him he never looks any farther. So, he's gone from the "hyper-flighty-chick" to the "spoiled priss" to "the control freak" to the "psycho loon". He never takes any advice, and now he's paying child support for two kids with two different women (the last two). As another friend put it, "stupid is as stupid does". Probably the main reason why I'm so skittish when it comes to women is I'm scared to death of making the same mistakes. I'm still trying to find my way, but one thing I've learned: attitude, attitude, attitude. If she doesn't have a good attitude or isn't just pleasant to be around, there isn't any point to looking farther.
202 posted on 01/02/2005 4:51:42 PM PST by Windcatcher
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To: marajade

**Say. . .around age 40 and, of course, no man will be interested in her at that time. . .and for good reason. **

What reason?
190 posted on 01/02/2005 4:31:15 PM PST by mrs tiggywinkle


*** I'm a single girl who is 31. I try to hold on to my half way decent looks because I'd be fooling myself if I said 'men will like my personality'. There are men who will find any reason to reject a woman based upon her appearance. A woman who is a few pounds overweight and has a few wrinkles gets passed over because some young thing with a flat stomach is more 'appealing'. Believe me I've seen this in action personally!


203 posted on 01/02/2005 4:53:28 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: FormerACLUmember

The woman with a lot of intelligence has no problem getting married. She just has to be smart enough to not use it lord it over her man.


204 posted on 01/02/2005 4:53:31 PM PST by nightdriver
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To: livius

"What makes you think conservatives are into eugenics?"

The simple fact is that intelligence is a highly inheritable trait - anywhere from 50% to 80%. The remainder component is almost entirely made up of pre-natal nutrition.

That's not to say eugenics should be practiced in society, but highly intelligent people should have lots of kids, so that society can benefit.


205 posted on 01/02/2005 4:53:50 PM PST by ryanjb2
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To: FormerACLUmember

206 posted on 01/02/2005 4:53:55 PM PST by BurbankKarl (LI)
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To: Gunrunner2
Your post made me laugh.

For years I was rather clumsy around the house and we always had to call a repairman or handyman for minor items.

Then I discovered the Internet discussion groups on home repair and realized that I could look up the answer to almost any problem.

I am now probably fixing at least one household item every month this way.

So every now and then my wife will forget "the new me" and say "You can't fix anything."

So I just say to her:

"Are you talking about the time I didn't fix the toilet or the time I didn't fix the electric garage door opener or the time I didn't fix the gutter or...... :-)

That usually holds her for six months or so... :-)
207 posted on 01/02/2005 4:54:05 PM PST by cgbg (A new song for the Dummies--Brain Dead in O-hi-o.)
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To: cgbg

A dear friend of mine has an MBA in Speech Pathology. Her hubby's MBA is in Economics. They married at 38 and 40 respectively and had a child the next year. He's the main bread winner as she is a full time home maker although works about 10 hours per month doing private therapy and is able to bring her son along.


208 posted on 01/02/2005 4:55:03 PM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
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To: mrs tiggywinkle
Easy. . .lots of rage and frustrations and a less than willing attitude to cooperate in a relationship--no give-and-take, just take.
209 posted on 01/02/2005 4:56:14 PM PST by Gunrunner2
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To: cyborg
fat rolls and wrinkles?! hahahahahahaha!

Care to share your current picture?

210 posted on 01/02/2005 4:57:01 PM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
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To: cyborg

You're still young. But why is it men think women can only have intelligence and be ugly?

I'm 45 and look 35. I've lost 90 pounds in the last year and look decent in clothes today. Clothes styles have changed even for women my age.

My husband teases me that I'm high maintenance because I spend hundreds in dollars in cosmetics to care for my skin.


211 posted on 01/02/2005 4:57:15 PM PST by marajade
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To: yarddog; mrs tiggywinkle

Yes. . .much better said than I.


212 posted on 01/02/2005 4:58:03 PM PST by Gunrunner2
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To: mrs tiggywinkle

That's what I hear. You have no idea how materialistic a lot of men are these days.


213 posted on 01/02/2005 4:58:58 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: mrs tiggywinkle
Not what was meant. What was meant was there are a lot of angry and mean and selfish women out there and by age 40 it seems to build up and you can now see it on their face.
214 posted on 01/02/2005 5:00:26 PM PST by Gunrunner2
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To: Gunrunner2

"What was meant was there are a lot of angry and mean and selfish women out there and by age 40 it seems to build up and you can now see it on their face."

Same could be said for men; what's your point?


215 posted on 01/02/2005 5:01:28 PM PST by marajade
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To: marajade

I'll bet your husband secretly likes it that you take care of yourself. My goal is to lose weight about as much as I can because it's a jungle out there. I'm not sure why some men associate intelligence with ugliness though. I do know that I read in a book that a lot of women would trade intelligence for being beautiful.


216 posted on 01/02/2005 5:01:55 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: cyborg
men who will find any reason to reject a woman based upon her appearance.

I think it sort of works like a job interview. If the first impression is not a good one you are in trouble.

The reason you want to look as good as possible is so the guy sticks around long enough to find out what a great personality you have.

My wife has two sisters who are currently single--they could lose a few pounds and it really makes a negative impression on guys. I don't have the guts to tell them--but a flat tummy would give them a lot more choices.

(P.S. They can't blame their genes--my wife hasn't gained a pound in fifteen years.)
217 posted on 01/02/2005 5:02:29 PM PST by cgbg (A new song for the Dummies--Brain Dead in O-hi-o.)
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To: FormerACLUmember
I don't get it. I only want to deal with women who ARE intelligent. However it appears that they are simply not getting married.

Or the ones that "appear" to be intelligent, seem to feel the need to make up for their "bookish nature" by going after the "bad boys."

Some of the smartest girls I knew in college were dating real scum-bags, who treated them like dirt.

I know that the only time any were interested in me was when they were complaining of how badly their boyfriends treated them... One actualy said (without thinking) that she wished she could find a guy like me!... I said, "What about me?" It was like watching a puppy go running into a tiled kitchen floor... Where the feet are moving 100 miles per hour backwards, but he just keeps sliding forward...

Mark

218 posted on 01/02/2005 5:04:16 PM PST by MarkL (That which does not kill me, has made the last mistake it will ever make!)
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To: cyborg

"I do know that I read in a book that a lot of women would trade intelligence for being beautiful."

I would too as a woman. But with all the cosmetics, exercise and diet remedies available today, looking decent is achievable.


219 posted on 01/02/2005 5:04:39 PM PST by marajade
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To: MarkL

LOL. They will wake up at age 45 and realize that they were fools.


220 posted on 01/02/2005 5:05:18 PM PST by FormerACLUmember (Free Republic is 21st Century Samizdat)
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