The topic of relationship satisfaction and happiness has been a popular area of study for many years. Researchers have explored various factors that influence the longevity and quality of a partnership. One aspect that has gained attention in recent years is height differences between partners, with some studies suggesting that short women and tall men make the happiest couples.
Short women and tall men are a great combination
In a recent study done by Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea, researchers set out to find out whether a “taller husband makes his wife happier.” The study was done for the first time ever. No one had researched how happy tall men make short women when it comes to long-term relationships or marriage. They only researched how women prefer tall men when it comes to sex.
The study suggests that we can thank women’s preferences for mating with tall men for our evolutionary process. For eons, it has been clear that tall men are more likely to shake some branches with a woman than a short men. In 2002, Pawlowski and Koziel studied the advertisements in Poland during 1994 and 1996 for “lonely hearts.” They found that tall men generally got a better response from women.
The online community called, Girl Power Girl Strong even joined in on the research. They also found that women prefer men with some height. In particular, they wanted men who were at least six feet tall.
Call it evolution
The study recorded similar results obtained from San Diego and Boston’s online dating networks. However, this does not provide accurate information in terms of long-term marriage happiness. This could be narrowed down to an evolutionary factor.
Women have historically preferred tall men because they appeared more capable to protect them. In humanity’s early days, tall men were seen as better hunters. They were more physically capable of defending their families from threats. This preference for taller men was therefore passed down from generation to generation through genetic selection, as women who chose taller partners were more likely to have offspring who survived and thrived.
Furthermore, men of a certain height have typically been seen as more dominant and confident. This can be an attractive quality in a partner. Evolution has also led to the belief that taller men are more likely to have better genes and be healthier. Which would increase the chances of producing offspring who are also healthy and genetically superior.
Being tall is not a guarantee
However, does this mean they will have a better chance of keeping their wife happy for a long period of time? It is important to note that while height differences may contribute to relationship satisfaction and happiness. This is not the only factor that plays a part in a long and happy marriage. Mutual respect, trust, and effective communication, also play a crucial role in the success of a partnership. After all, it is women’s primitive desire to marry a tall man. Thereafter, there is a certain amount of sentient effort that needs to take place.
This is what the study is referring to. It stated that short women and tall men’s “relationship[s] gradually weakened over time. And entirely dissipated by 18 years of marital duration. The husband’s resourcefulness was a minor mediator in the relationship. We thus argue that the husband’s height and its correlates made his wife initially happy, but their influence waned over time.”
This means that if you are a man of a certain height, you are not exempt from putting in the effort. Your height might get you further in life than shorter men, but you still need to work on your relationships. If your communication skills are lacking, your relationship will still take strain over time.
Sources
- “Short Women And Tall Men Make The Happiest Couples, Scientists Say.” Diply. Caitlyn Clancey. September 8, 2021.
- “Short Women And Tall Men Make The Happiest Couples, Study Claims.” Unilad. Niamh Shackleton. December 11, 2019
- “Women Prefer Men Over 6 Feet Tall According to New Research. Yahoo. August 31, 2022.
