Have you seen the men in Hollywood that women say they're attracted to? Guys like Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron, Chase Crawford, Orlando Bloom and Hugh Grant seem to make men wince, but they've definitely grabbed the eyes of the ladies.
What has happened to the macho bloke? Are they considered outdated and redundant to modern chick? A recent study has shed some light on this phenomenon.
Boffins at the University of Aberdeen say it all has something to do with an improvement in basic health.
Put simply, when the health of a population is poor, women are drawn to rugged males — thinking they'll contribute to more robust babies — but when life expectancy and general wellbeing is higher, they prefer a more feminine bloke, the UK's Daily Mail reported.
The researchers ranked 30 nations according to various population health measures, including rates of infectious diseases, child mortality rates and life expectancy.
The research team then showed pairs of photographs of males to around 5000 women from those 30 nations to see which facial features they preferred. One photo was altered to make it more masculine, with attributes such as a larger jaw and lowered brow.
The study showed that as the comparative health of a nation improved, women's attraction to rugged men declined and there was a preference for prettier features.
"We have seen a shift away from rugged, 'take-charge' leading men like Clark Gable to preferences for more feminine guys," said Dr Lisa DeBruine, a member of the research team. "This might be one contributing factor."
The results of the research have been published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
What do you think of Hollywood’s pretty boys? Enter your comments below.
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