Single photographers may want to start hiding their profession on dating profiles as creativity is deemed one of the least desirable traits a potential partner looks for.
A new study by researchers at the University of Swansea has set out to find what an ideal long‐term partner typically looks like. This particular test, the largest of its kind on mate preference, asked participants to determine which of eight attributes they valued the most. The characteristics in question were: physical attractiveness, financial prospects, creativity, kindness, humor, religiosity, chastity, and the desire for children. The way participants ranked their preferences for each quality was in the form of a scale from zero to ten. To prevent people from putting ten to every characteristic, each selection made had to be paid for with "mate dollars". This fictitious currency was capped at 48 which meant people had to spend wisely and prioritize what they valued most.
Regardless of the geography of those polled, creativity was among the three least desirable traits along with chastity and religiosity. Kindness was by far the most commonly picked option which in many ways is a reassuring winner. Creativity ranking so low is a little worrying for photographers although I'm sure the most creative of us will work out a way to turn this negative into a positive.
Lead image by vjapratama from Pexels, used under Creative Commons.
BRB, going to create a photographer dating site.
Non paywalled study link is https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steve_Stewart-Williams/publication/...
If the person I'm considering is "kind," that means I get something from him.
"Creativity" is not a "something in it for me" characteristic, so people aren't looking for it.
Thankfully only one partner is sufficient for each of us. That's the same for the chaste, religious, creative types as it is for anyone else!
Hold on, colleagues, it is not that simple. To be a valid conjecture some more steps should be taken. For instance correlation between creativity and being a photographer in the minds of the study participants must be elucidated.
For a guy, having plenty of money means you'll have no trouble finding a partner (I didn't say a good partner!). Failing that, a healthy dose of self confidence is sufficient.
If you have either of the above, then your size, weight, how well you're hung, bedroom prowess, creativity and photography skill are relatively insignificant when it comes to being able to attract a partner.
Thankfully I got married before online dating became ubiquitous! I shudder at the thought of online dating...don't know how the rest of you do it... 😀
I'm a single photographer and one of the things I hear from women all the time is they think I sleep with my models.
I've had conversations with models that pose nude for me and even they say they could not date a photographer.
this is not true for all models but I've heard it quite a bit.
I know photographers who have dated and married models as well as photographers who date each other with no issue but those numbers are small in comparison to the rest of the world.
I think if I shot family portraits and weddings they would view me differently but oh well.
I've shot a few nudes and Boudoir, and the nonsense I hear from folks is beyond belief! I blame Hollywood and the advertising industry for this, considering how vain and shallow they view photographers. I even had one silly women who claimed I couldn't be a photographer because I don't "look" like one, and the only reason I have a camera is so that I can get my rocks off. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I had conversation with a mortician who owned several funeral homes. He was making a quarter of a million dollars a year, but he said he still had a hard time getting women to go out with him. And that's a creative job, too. Sorta. "Make him look natural." "He was shot in the face."
That's not creativity; that's miracle working! Mind you, people can be prejudiced.
I thought results came from other directions. After reading the article's title first thing it came to my mind was the repeating news about creep photogs. Second, the urban myth of photographers always being surrounded by beautiful women. Third, being into a career which is hard to make the good bucks, being self-employed and always looking for the next job. Fourth, photography being a career on the way out. And fifth, practically spending an entire life as a peeping tom.
You can add musician to the list too and in my almost 40 years as one I have rarely ever came across a lonely musician without a partner unless they were a total asshole. And even those types usually had somebody hanging on to them. I guess it depends on what you are Creating. ;-)
They see me zoomin', they lovin'
I tell them I'm a boxer and ask if they know anything about boxing. If they say no I tell them I'm the heavyweight champion . That's creative.
The joke's on f/stoppers. Most photographers aren't that creative...
That was pretty funny! And sort of true....sometimes.
There's nothing about that study that says creativity is a bad trait to have. Aside from financial prospects being neutral, all the traits listed are most definitely positive traits to want in a partner. Thanks for the clickbait.
Thing is....you have to find a woman who is a creative herself; then she will "get" you. I tend to seek out creatives because I have a great deal more in common with the way they think than non-creatives. Most women are looking for a man with money more than a soul or brain. (sorry to say, but true, and I apologize to ANY gender-mates who happen to be on this site. I'm guessing I haven't offended many, simply because there aren't many on this site except me.