Male poachers hunt for friends’ husbands
It’s an unsaid but understood rule; never ever eye your friend’s boyfriend or husband. Mate poaching is a term introduced by David Buss in Evolution of Desire. And it also explains why married women are wary of their single friends, especially around their husbands. Interestingly, studies also show that single women find attached men more attractive. A case in point is Angelina Jolie, who “poached” Pitt when he was happily married to Jennifer Aniston.
In a report in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, two social psychologists, Melissa Burkley and Jessica Parker of Oklahoma State University wrote, “According to a recent poll, most women who engage in mate poaching do not think the attached status of the target played a role in their poaching decision, but our study shows this belief to be false.”
Agrees Shalini Sharma, professional, who no longer discusses her boyfriend with her friends. “Once bitten, twice shy. It’s a natural thing to talk about your boyfriend to your closest friend. But in my previous relationship, it was a lesson, as unknown to me, my best friend started flirting with my beau without my knowledge. I was shocked and angry when I found out.”
Naina Saxena, an advertising professional, explains why a married man is attractive. “A girl marries at any age, but it’s not so with a man. He marries when he’s settled down and established in life. And when a single girl meets such a man, she cannot help but be enamoured by him.”
But Amit S., entrepreneur, believes that married men are no threat to single women, and that’s precisely why women fall for them. “He won’t chase, he allows to be chased, and he is always eager for some extra love.”
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