By Rita Colorito on August 21, 2011 in
From the science-of-duh file: Some men spend a bundle buying a flashy car or other status symbol hoping to score (if you know what I mean) and most women see right through it and steer clear.
Men are like peacocks
In a series of studies titled, "Peacocks, Porsches and Thorstein Veblen: Conspicuous Consumption as a Sexual Signaling System," researchers from Rice University, the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and the University of Minnesota tested nearly 1,000 subjects to come to the stunning conclusion that men buy conspicuous products to attract women for a short-term sexual relationship, a bling fling, if you will.
"This research suggests that conspicuous products, such as Porsches, can serve the same function for some men that large and brilliant feathers serve for peacocks," said Jill Sundie, assistant professor of marketing at UTSA and lead author of the paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
While the researchers found women consider a man who buys a luxury sports car (such as Porsche or BMW) more desirable for a date than one who buys a non-luxury vehicle (think Hyundai Elantra), they also clearly picked up on the signal for uncommitted sex, and it doesn't work in the big spender's favor. Women considered these conspicuous consumers less desirable for long-term relationships and as marriage partners.
On the other hand, women as consumers don't conspicuously flash their cash on products to attract mates, concluded the researchers.
If you must be a peacock, check ConsumerSearch.com's automotive reports on these luxe vehicles (no guarantees you'll hook up):
Or, if you choose to be a hawk or owl (they each mate for life), go with these and other stylish economy cars (no guarantees you'll get hitched):