Height: It Does Matter

    In my eighteen years of existence, I observed that men are taller than women in most couples. In fact when you look at the couples around you, same scenario would be seen. It is really interesting how woman use height as a preference on looking for their mates. What is the reason woman prefer taller man? Is it just as simple as taller is better?

   As I had saw in Wikipedia, Recent studies have shown that heterosexual women often prefer men taller than they are, rather than a man with above average height. While women usually desire men to be at least the same height as themselves or taller, several other factors also determine male attractiveness, and the male-taller norm is not universal. Professor Adam Eyre-Walker, from the University of Sussex, has stated that there is, as yet, no evidence that these preferences are evolutionary preferences, as opposed to merely cultural preferences. In a double-blind study by Graziano et al., it was found that, in person, using a sample of women of normal size, they were on average most attracted to men who were of medium height (5'9"- 5'11") and less attracted to both men of shorter height (5'5"- 5'7") and men of tallest height (6'2"- 6'4").

   I was studying on woman's height preference when I came across an article called, " Why Do Women All Seem to Want Taller Men? " Erina Lee mentioned in his article that men are being taller on average than woman. From these we might expect that most women end up with taller men just by chance. However, Erina said that researcher found that of the 720 couples in their study, only one was comprised of a taller woman and a shorter man (Gillis & Avis, 1980).  This was a far smaller percentage than expected by chance, showing that there is some selective preference for taller men.  

   I agree with Erina when she said that Culture also plays a big part in what we like and what is valued in society.Women may learn to value men who are rewarded in society.  For example, taller men may be seen as more powerful and attractive, so women who are with taller men benefit by attaining a higher social status.  In addition, if height signals physical dominance, it is likely that taller men make women feel smaller, protected, and perhaps more “feminine” as well.  In line with this idea, research has found that women with more “traditional” gender role expectations were less willing to date shorter men.

    Erina also noted that height is a “masculine” characteristic.  Taller men may be seen as more dominant and assertive (Melamed, 1992).  In evolutionary terms, a larger man may have been able to provide more protection to their offspring, have greater genetic qualities to pass on to their future children, and thus may be awarded with greater social status.  

  In general, women are attracted to taller men because of the stereotype established by the society. They preferred men taller than them to become more pleasing to the eye of the society.  In the other hand, most woman feel that they were more protected in the arms of taller man. To sum it all, woman prefer a man where she could be proud of and a man who could able to give her protection.