Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- A University of Michigan study indicates women like monogamous men for long-term relationships but prefer promiscuous men for short-term, sexual dating. Or, as the study put it: Women like dads for long-term relationships -- men who are kind, compassionate and monogamous. But for short-term, sexual relationships, women prefer cads -- the classic Romantic dark heroes who are dominant, promiscuous and daring. Advertisement Lead researcher and social psychologist Daniel Kruger said he and co-authors Maryanne Fisher and Ian Jobling used hypothetical scenarios of classic cad and dad character types from 18th and 19th century British literature. According to Kruger, the findings imply the dad versus cad distinction is intuitive with women and remains a key element of contemporary mating strategies. He said women's preference for cads for short-term relationships supports what evolutionary psychologists call the "sexy son hypothesis." That says although cads don't stick around and help raise children, their genes will be passed to their sons, who will increase their mothers' eventual reproductive success by providing numerous grandchildren. The study appears in the current issue of the journal Human Nature.
