Breasts

[kiwigeo]

So NZ has just paid some academic to tell us something we already know:

A new (WHAT - OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE THE SAME STUDY???) Kiwi study confirms what most women probably suspect - men look at a woman's breasts before her face.

Researchers at Wellington's Victoria University have found nearly half - 47 per cent of men first look at women's breasts.

A third of men's "first fixations" are on a woman's midriff. Less than 20 per cent of first glances were directed at a woman's face.

"Men spent consistently more time looking at the breasts of [naked] front-posed female images and also made significantly more fixations upon the breasts than other regions of the body or head," the study says.

Outrageous Fortune star and New Zealand's "sexiest woman" Robyn Malcolm said women would be aware of men taking a peek but it had to be expected at times.

"There's a contract, isn't there? If I'm going to go out in a low-cut top it's not saying I'm asking for it, but it's not that I'm not. I've a really low-cut dress and I really like it. We check each other out physically. Why wouldn't we?" (

She said the Outrageous Fortune male stars were not shy about taking a look at their female co-stars' cleavage.

"We joke about it on the show all the time."

In the study, participants were presented with six naked images of the same woman, digitally altered to increase or decrease the size of her bust, waist and hips.

Eye-tracking equipment showed how men examined the images. Despite men's eyes going straight to the chest, waist-to-hip ratio primarily defines how attractive a woman is to a man, research shows.

The study also noted "men may be looking more often at the breasts because they are simply aesthetically pleasing, regardless of the size".

Newstalk ZB presenter Ali Jones said it was very important that a man first looked at a woman's face.

"However, if the woman is falling out of her top, who can blame him for having a look?"

Sexologist Dr Michelle Mars said it was fine for people to check out each other.

"There is nothing wrong with admiring bodies." However, she warned men who could not maintain eye contact that their behaviour was "rude".

[Nick]

I never look at women's breasts first.

[Kim]

Thanks Nick

[seeaxe]

Researchers at Wellington's Victoria University have found nearly half - 47 per cent of men first look at women's breasts.

"Men spent consistently more time looking at the breasts of [naked] front-posed female images and also made significantly more fixations upon the breasts than other regions of the body or head," the study says.

"There is nothing wrong with admiring bodies." However, she warned men who could not maintain eye contact that their behaviour was "rude".

Speaking in my capacity as Kiwi male (at least a resident Kiwi) and possible subject of this survey, I make the following comments.....

1. If confronted with a naked female torso, I for one would be deeply suspicious of the 53% that looked somewhere else.
2. I'm pretty relieved there is nothing wrong with admiring female bodies, I was beginning to get worried!
3. Personally I would have no problem maintaining eye contact, it would be looking up that would be the problem.
4. I hope they didnt pay too much for the study, most blokes would have done this research for nothing... come to think of it, why did they do this research?
5. Would the results have been different if the naked women had been holding a 7 course lute? (obviously not in front of their breasts, as we wouldnt be able to tell what the guys were looking at.)
6. It must be pretty boring on that drilling rig Martin, if this is all you have to read - have you tried War and Peace?

thats all I have time for, have to go off to another "forum" now, to see if there are any research projects I can join in on.

[Hesh1956]

I am NOT posting in this thread fearing in advance that I am likely to say something untoward - like my friend Nick does...

Personally I was always a butt man...

[Dennis Leahy]

OK, I'll "bite." (gently)

Other than those women in the National Geographic magazines that seem to simply use breasts for feeding babies, and the repressed, burka-clad women of the Islamic cultures that are forced to hide all their curves, breasts are a wonderful sexual attractant - and they work!

Women seem to usually have a good sense about how much they want to attract attention to their breasts on different occasions, and with those cues, those attracted can moderate their behavior. That is, until the woman breaks the field of eye contact-ability. In other words, when she turns her head and cannot see us even with her radar-like peripheral vision, then we sneak a peek. I do believe I should sign up for the study, just to make sure. How much will I be paid?

Oh shit, I just re-read the way the study was conducted. "...Men spent consistently more time looking at the breasts of [naked] front-posed female images..." Oh, crikey, all bets are off when yer top's off, Sheila. I'm surprised the numbers weren't closer to 99%. Even gay men would look at a topless woman's breasts. Not looking could cause neck and eye strain.

"...Sexologist Dr Michelle Mars said..." first of all, Michelle, I thought men were from Mars. Secondly, where do I sign up as a "sexologist"? Is there a uni degree? Beats paleontology and economics hands down!

Dennis

[kiwigeo]

Personally I was always a butt plug man...

What the??!!!

[kiwigeo]

6. It must be pretty boring on that drilling rig Martin, if this is all you have to read - have you tried War and Peace?

Never a dull moment out here. This hitch has been full on. Havent even had time to check out my lute building DVD or the voicing DVD I bought out with me.