Self-esteem: Not Just A Woman's Problem

Researchers have found that both women and men have similar levels of self-esteem during adolescence and young adulthood.  

Instead of gender as a factor, differences in self-esteem are found when comparing people of different racial/ethnic categories.


The result of this research has many implications for parents, teachers, and clinicians who have historically attributed lower self-esteem to women and girls.  The lack of a gender separation in self-esteem can shed light on determinants of behavior for men and boys.  Also, more research can examine how racial and ethnic differences attribute to a young persons level of self-esteem.


To read the entire article, click HERE

Preferred Qualities In A Partner

In a cross-national study of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, men and women agreed that the most preferred traits in a partner were:

            Intelligence

            Humor

            Honesty

            Kindness

            Good looks

            Facial attractiveness

            Values

            Communication skills

            Dependability

Men agreed that attractiveness was more important than other traits while women equally valued kindness, honesty, humor, and dependability.

Do you agree with these? 

If not, what qualities do you prefer in a partner?

Double Standard for Wedding Rings?

Popular media highlights the absence of a wedding ring on a married female as a sign of separation, impending divorce, and marital distress.

Woman scorned. Elin Woods is snapped without her wedding ring as she is seen…for the first time yesterday since husband Tiger admitted his infidelities. 

Actions speak louder than words and it looks like Brooke Mueller and Charlie Sheen are done…[as the] star's wife showed up…without her wedding ring.

…the first photo of Sandra Bullock without her wedding ring since her husband Jesse James' affair scandal broke.

Men on the other hand, do not receive the same scrutiny when a ring is absent.  Many married men do not own and/or do not wear wedding rings.

Does a double standard exist?  Is it customary that women wear rings and not men?  If so, are we reverting back to the historical notion that only women wear rings in order to signal that they are "taken"?

Danger...Curves Ahead

Research published in the past five years suggests that men find curvy women more attractive than thin women.  It appears that waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), the difference between waist and hip measurements, is not only a better indicator of health but an attribute found more attractive to men.

In a recent study, brain scans showed more activity when men viewed pictures of curvy women in comparison to those of normal weight women (based on body mass index-BMI).  Although men did find women with normal BMIs attractive, their evaluations were simple and purely visual.  When viewing women with curvier shapes, the desire and reward areas in the brain were most active.