Why Handsome Men Make Bad Husbands

You may have recently heard or seen the news coverage (in the New York Daily News or CBS news online, among others; you may have even seen the lead author, James K. McNulty of the University of Tennessee, discuss it on the Today show) of a study, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, that showed that couples in which the woman is physically more attractive than the man are happier than couples in which the man is physically more attractive than the woman. Why is this? Why is it better for the couple if the woman is physically more attractive than the man?
If you have been keeping score at home, the findings of this study should have come as no surprise to you. There are two different reasons why couples in which the woman is more attractive than the man are more successful and happier than couples in which the man is more attractive than the woman.
First, as we elaborate in Chapter 4 of our book Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters (“Go Together Like a Horse and Carriage? The Evolutionary Psychology of Marriage”), handsome men on average make bad husbands. Men can maximize their reproductive success by pursuing one of two different strategies: Seek a long-term mate, stay with her, and invest in their joint offspring (the “dad” strategy); or seek a large number of short-term mates without investing in any of the resulting offspring (the “cad” strategy).
All men may want to pursue the cad strategy; however, their choice of the mating strategy is constrained by female choice. Men do not get to decide with whom to have sex; women do. And women disproportionately seek out handsome men for their short-term mates for their good genes. Even women who are already married benefit from short-term mating with handsome men if they could successfully fool their husbands into investing in the resulting offspring. The women then get the best of both worlds: Their children carry the high-quality genes of their handsome lover and receive the parental investment of their unknowingly cuckolded but resourceful husband. (In order to help the women accomplish this, evolution has designed women to be more likely to have sex with their lovers when they are ovulating and therefore fertile, and have sex with their husbands when they are not.)
Thus, handsome men get a disproportionate number of opportunities for short-term mating and are therefore able to engage in the cad strategy. Ugly men have no choice. Since women do not choose them as short-term mates, their only option for achieving any reproductive success is to find one long-term mate and invest heavily in their children -- the dad strategy.
Consistent with this logic, studies show that more attractive men have a larger number of extra-pair sex partners (sex partners other than their long-term mates). Interestingly, more attractive men have more short-term mates than long-term mates, whereas more attractive women have more long-term mates than short-term mates. Most importantly for our current purposes, handsome men invest less in their exclusive relationships than ugly men do. They are less honest with and less attentive to their partners. McNulty’s new study of newlyweds confirms this. Their data show that the more physically attractive the husbands are, the less supportive they are of their wives in their interactions.
I hasten to add that “good” and “bad” (as in the title of this post “Why handsome men make bad husbands”) are value judgments that scientists do not make. However, empirical data do demonstrate clearly that handsome men have more extra-marital affairs and are not as committed to their marriages, which many wives would undoubtedly consider undesirable. In this sense, handsome men make better lovers than husbands.

Facebook Addiction

With more than 200 million people now signed up on Facebook, it was only a matter of time before we heard about the latest twist in online social networking: Facebook addiction! According to CNN, therapists across North America are reporting a rise in the number of people who’ve crossed the line from social networking to social dysfunction! These are people who spend so much time using Facebook that they neglect their work and family, as well as their own health.

For example, one mother interviewed by CNN realized she had a problem when her daughter started emailing her through Facebook – just to ask for help doing homework! This woman estimates she was spending more than 20 hours per week on the site – checking email, connecting with friends, posting new photos, and updating her online “status.” Psychologists emphasize that there’s nothing wrong with using Facebook itself. In fact, the vast majority of users go on for a few minutes, log off, and are fine. The trouble starts when the thought of going a full day without Facebook makes you feel anxious or stressed. Or if you start losing sleep, or missing work, because you’re up all night surfing Facebook. It’s also a problem if you find yourself “Facebook stalking” old loves.

Dr. Joanna Lipari is a clinical psychologist who says Facebook addiction is especially dangerous for people with “compulsive personalities.” That’s the name she gives for people who think the online world of Facebook is a better place to spend time than the real world. For them, social networking sites represent some sort of Happyland – where you can connect with friends, relive the good ol' days, sneak a peek at other people’s lives, and escape your everyday problems. Unfortunately, Dr. Lipari says Facebook is not a good representation of real life. The fact is, most people only present “the crème de la crème” of their lives online. Very rarely will you find people talking about daily hassles like morning breath, paying bills or arguments over who’s going to go change the baby’s diapers.

If you’re spending more than an hour each day waiting for someone to comment on your latest Wall posting, Dr. Lipari believes you really need to log off and possibly get some help.

Old-Fashioned Remedies That Are Scientifically-Proven to Work

When it comes to your health, some home remedies do actually work! Here are some old-fashioned tips backed by solid science, courtesy of MSN:

• The first old-fashioned remedy: Bleach eliminates nail fungus. In a study at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, bleach drastically slowed the growth of toenail fungus, reducing the thickness and yellowness of the nail. Be careful, straight bleach can burn! So, dilute one teaspoon of bleach in one cup of water, and use an eyedropper to squirt that mixture under the nail twice a day until your new nail grows in.


• Another home remedy that actually works: Rubbing antiperspirant on your feet prevents blisters. Dr. Ranella Hirsch is president of the American Society for Cosmetic Dermatology. She says that blisters are caused by sweaty skin rubbing inside your shoes. Since antiperspirant stops the sweat, it helps keep blisters from forming.


• You can treat burns with a tomato. Dr. Francesca Fusco of Mount Sinai Medical Center says that the lycopene in tomatoes is a natural anti-inflammatory - and can ease the pain and swelling of minor burns. The trick: Put a slice of tomato on a burn for five minutes twice a day.


• Crushed aspirin stops the pain and itching of insect bites. Why? Aspirin contains salicylic acid, an ingredient in acne medicine, which reduces pain, swelling and redness. The trick: Crush three aspirin in a few drops of water to make a paste. Spread on the bug bite for two minutes twice a day, and rinse with cool water.


• Finally, apple cider vinegar helps eliminate dandruff. Dr. Fusco says most dandruff is caused by an overgrowth of yeast on the skin, and because vinegar reduces the natural pH of your scalp, it creates an unfriendly environment for dandruff-causing yeast. The trick: Twice a week, add one-half cup of apple cider vinegar to one quart of water, and use it as a final rinse after you shampoo.

Study: Alcohol Tied to Nearly 1 in 25 Deaths

Alcohol May Be Related to 3.8% of Global Deaths, New Study Estimates

June 25, 2009 -- Approximately 4% of global deaths may be linked to alcohol, according to a new study.
The study, published in The Lancet, estimates the percentage of alcohol-related deaths based on accidents, alcohol abuse, and various health conditions -- including certain cancers, high blood pressure, and liver problems -- in which alcohol may play a role.
The researchers -- who included Jurgen Rehm, PhD, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto -- analyzed 2003 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations, and other sources.
When Rehm and colleagues calculated their estimates, they considered the health risks and benefits of alcohol, as well as alcohol consumption patterns, with the highest rate of alcohol consumption in Eastern Europe and Russia and the lowest rate in the eastern Mediterranean region, which mainly includes countries in the Middle East and northern Africa.
Rehm's team notes that alcohol-related deaths were most common in men and young adults, and that alcohol consumption is rising among women and in India and China.

Chess Is Making A Comeback

Can you name a board game that’s more than 1,400 years old, and is suddenly making a comeback in 2009? According to USA Today, the classic skill game of chess is currently taking North American schools by storm. In the past six years alone, a scholastic chess organization called First Move has gone from 1,500 student members to more than 50,000! When the game’s top players gathered in St. Louis recently - for America’s so-called “Super Bowl” of chess – four of the Top 24 players were under the age of 21.
Wendi Fischer is the executive director of America’s Foundation for Chess. She says this youth movement has been spurred by a growing number of teachers who’ve rediscovered the academic benefits of playing chess. For example: One of the first things a child learns in chess is how to use a board’s coordinate system – as in “knight moves from B-1 to C-3.” That coordinate system is the basis for algebra, and more complex math skills. Students also learn to take notes during a chess match, and to study the moves of other players printed in books. Research has shown that the patience, concentration, and logical thinking required in a game of chess can help students perform better on math and vocabulary tests. Basically, experts say chess: “Teaches the mind how to think!”
There are also social benefits to playing chess. For starters, it’s a game that kids can practice at home with their parents or with friends, and that promotes social bonding in a way that no videogame ever could. That’s one reason why the game of chess has remained popular for so long. Jerry Nash is the scholastic director for the U.S. Chess Federation. He says chess survives because it’s “an equalizer.” Your success has nothing to do with your size, age, or what language you speak. All you have to do is out-think your opponent. Plus, Nash says chess is a very inexpensive game to play, and in this economy, that may be one of the best benefits of all.

Three Common Myths About Your Sleeping Habits

From MSN Health:
People need to get more sleep! A new study found that the average North American gets only six hours and 40 minutes of sleep each night – an all-time low! So let’s help you get more sleep by busting open three common sleep myths:

• Sleep myth #1: If I have a lot of energy, I can survive on only five hours of sleep a night. FALSE. Just because you feel wide awake, that doesn’t mean your brain is. In fact, new research from the University of Pennsylvania found that sleep deprivation puts your brain into “microsleep” mode. That means it randomly shuts down during the day for at least half a second, leaving you feeling unstable and disoriented! To find out if you’re getting enough sleep, try going to bed on a Saturday at the same time you would on a Tuesday, but don’t set your alarm clock. If you wake up the next day at your normal time, you’re fine. However, if you doze the day away, that means your body needs more rest.


• Another common sleep myth: A hard workout before bed will help me sleep better. That’s also FALSE. Studies show that strenuous exercise raises your core temperature, and it’ll take between four and six hours for your body to cool off enough to allow deep sleep! So save your workout for the morning, when you need energy the most. Then try taking a hot bath an hour before bedtime. Your body will cool down faster, and doctors say it’s easiest to fall asleep when your temperature goes from warm to cool very quickly.


• One more sleep myth: It’s no big deal if I keep waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. FALSE again. Waking up more than once every night could be a sign that you have obstructive sleep apnea. That’s where the soft tissue in your throat temporarily suffocates your breathing during sleep! When that happens, your heart pumps faster, and excess fluid builds up in your veins, triggering a natural diuretic which makes you need to pee. So to help keep your air passage clear, try sleeping on your side more. Otherwise, you’ll need to see a doctor about wearing a special device that forces oxygen into your throat while you sleep.

Are You Doing Everything You Can to Protect Your Teeth?

From WebMD:
You brush and floss your teeth twice a day, and use mouthwash. Does that mean you’re doing everything you can to protect your teeth? No! Here are a few important things you should know about your teeth:

• Sour can be just as bad as sweet. Acidic, low-pH foods like soft drinks, fruit juice, and sour candy act almost like battery acid in the mouth, and can soften teeth, lead to enamel erosion, and prevent a kid’s adult teeth from growing to full size! Dr. Martha Keels, the chief of pediatric dentistry at Duke University Children’s Hospital, says that the worst offenders are ultra-sour, ultra-sticky kids’ candies like Warheads and Toxic Waste. Even sour gummy vitamins can be bad for your teeth.
• If you can’t brush immediately after a meal, chew gum that contains xylitol and recaldent – like Trident sugarless gum. Xylitol keeps bacteria from sticking to your teeth – and may even help prevent cavities, and recaldent helps strengthen tooth enamel.
• Tooth enamel may be the hardest substance in your body – but it still breaks easily – especially if your teeth have been weakened by drilling and fillings. Most breakage is caused by chewing ice or popcorn, or having piercings in your lips and tongue. So, avoid them.
• Finally, teach your kids to use only a pea-sized dab of toothpaste. Why? Because too much fluoride is bad for their teeth. Kids tend to swallow toothpaste when they brush. Kids under age 8 who swallow too much toothpaste develop fluorosis, a condition that creates white spots on their permanent teeth that eventually turn brown. No amount of brushing or polishing will get rid of them.