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In order to build a strong and long-lasting relationship, people are often recommended to look beyond physical appearances and focus on the character, belief and principles in their potential partners. Despite these recommendations, for some people, physical appearance, ranging from facial features to body type, could be their priority when finding a life partner. Researchers from a recent study examined facial appearance and found that men with wider faces tended to have more power and money. The team found that even though these men were considered to be more attractive by women, they were still not considered to be marriage material.

In this study, the research team headed by Katherine A. Valentine and Norman P. Li from Singapore Management University examined women's views on men's facial shape. The researchers were hoping to expand previous findings that men with wider faces had higher testosterone levels and were more wealthy, powerful and aggressive. The team concluded that even though men with wider faces were considered more attractive, women reported that they would not marry them. The women stated that they viewed these men as one night stand material.

"Although men with higher facial width-to-height ratios [fWHRs] may be healthier and more formidable, and are poised to achieve high status, there are downsides to choosing such men as mates," the authors wrote according to Daily Mail. "FWHR has been linked to aggressiveness in various contests. Moreover, men with high fWHRs are more deceptive and less trustworthy. Furthermore, dominant men are perceived as less faithful, and less investing as fathers."

The researchers were able to draw these conclusions after analyzing 77 men and 81 women who were put into seven speed-dating events. The dates occurred in semi-private booths. The men were asked to move every three minutes. For each date, both parties had to rank their interest level from one to five. One was low and five was high. The participants had to do this for three categories, which were short-term relationship, long-term relationship, or friendship. The men were between 20 and 32-years-old and the women were between 18 and 30-years-old. FWHRs were calculated using bone structure.

On top of this, the researchers had 11 males and 44 females between the ages of 19 and 25 independently rate dominance on a seven-point-scale based on the photographs of men. Another group of participants were asked to rate the aggressiveness level if the man in the photograph was provoked. These results confirmed previous findings that men with higher fHWRs tended to be viewed as more aggressive and dominant.

"Women perceived men with wide faces as dominant and were attracted to them for short-term relationships. The results complement and extend the large body of work on facial metrics and attraction, as well as recent work on mate choice in live-interactive mate selection contexts, and highlight the importance of deducing why dominant men are alluring to women," the authors stated.

The study can be accessed here.