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There's a widespread assumption that men prefer younger women while women naturally prefer older men.
Researchers recently tested part of that assumption using data from more than 4,500 blind dates.
After meeting face-to-face, both men and women showed a slight tendency to be more attracted to younger partners.
The researchers didn't find the expected gender difference in attraction to younger partners.
That doesn't mean age never matters or that everyone prefers younger dates.
It shows that people's actual reactions during dates can differ from familiar stereotypes about what men and women supposedly want.
© Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025)