A scientific study on love shows that men are increasingly interested in intelligent, educated women with dependable character and emotional stability, and chastity isn't an issue.

The findings by Researchers at the University of Iowa are part of a study quoted by media reports Monday.

Conducted every decade since 1939, the study asks participants to rank a list of 18 characteristics they would want in a partner on a scale ranging from "irrelevant¹" to "essential."

Included are such items as "sociability²" and "good cook, housekeeper," as well as "mutual³ attraction and love," which came in first place for both men and women in 2008. (In 1939, it wasn't in the top three for either sex.)

Male and female participants in 2008 rounded out their top traits with "dependable character" and "emotional stability, maturity⁴." Men ranked intelligence fourth, a big jump from 11th place in 1939; in addition, "good financial prospect⁵" moved to 12th place in 2008, a shift from its low 17th-place ranking in 1939 and last-place ranking in 1967.

"This is a generation of men who has grown up with educated women as their mothers, teachers, doctors, and role models," said Christine Whelan, head of the study and author of "Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman's Guide to True Love" (Simon & Schuster, 2008).

"And in tough economic times, sharing the financial burden with a spouse⁶ takes the burden off these guys to be the sole provider," she said.

The study's participants were college students from the University of Iowa, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia, and Penn State University.

"Like attracts like, so certainly the fact that we were polling college students would suggest that intelligence and education are going to be important characteristics," Whelan said.

Another notable shift involves the significance of chastity: In 1939, it was valued more than intelligence in women, but in 2008, it was ranked the least important characteristic. Furthermore, it also was ranked the least important for men. This, coupled with the shared top-three ranking for both men and women, suggests a commonality that seems positively⁷ modern-day.

一项关于爱情的科学研究显示，如今的男性对聪慧、受过教育、人品可靠且情绪稳定的女性越来越感兴趣，而贞节已不再是个问题。

该研究由艾奥瓦大学的研究人员开展，研究结果在本周一的媒体报道中被引述。

该研究自1939年起每十年开展一次，主要让研究对象对18个择偶标准按照“无关紧要”到“非常重要”的标准进行排序。

这些标准包括“善于交际”、“厨艺精湛、会持家”以及 “相互吸引和爱情”等，这一项在去年的男女择偶调查中均排在首位（在1939年的调查中，这一标准在男女调查中均未跻身前三）。

在2008年的调查中，男女受访者最看重的品质都是“人品可靠”、“情绪稳定、成熟”。在本次调查中，男性将“聪明”排在第四位，较之1939年的第11位大幅上升，此外，“良好的经济实力”升至第12位，该项在1939年的调查中仅排在第17位，在1967年的调查中垫底。

研究负责人、《嫁得漂亮：智慧女人的真爱指南》（西蒙舒斯特公司2008年出版）一书的作者克里斯蒂•威尔兰说：“这一代男性在成长过程中接触的都是一些受过良好教育的女性，比如他们的母亲、老师、医生和偶像。”

她说：“在经济困难时期，找一个能共同负担家庭经济开支的伴侣可以减轻男人的压力。”

该研究的对象是来自艾奥瓦大学、华盛顿大学、弗吉尼亚大学和宾州州立大学的学生。

威尔兰说：“人以群分，物以类聚。所以我们在大学生中开展这项调查的做法表明，智商和受教育程度将成为十分重要的择偶标准。”

另一个显著的改变就是对于“贞节”的态度。在1939年调查中，男性对于女性“贞节”的重视远超过“智慧”，而在2008年，无论男性还是女性都认为“贞节”是最不重要的因素。从贞节观的转变以及男女在择偶时最看重的三个因素可以看出，当今社会的观念已步入现代化。

Vocabulary:

like attracts like: 人以群分；物以类聚