COCKY, bad guys may usually get the girl in the movies but the same isn’t true in real life, according to new research.
It showed that being humble was the key to marking yourself out as a good romantic partner while arrogance and egotism were turn-offs. Humility was equally important to both sexes.
The findings will give hope to men who feel more like Hugh Grant’s bumbling character in Four Weddings and a Funeral than they do Leonardo DiCaprio in Wolf Of Wall Street. Psychologists who carried out the research said that being humble meant people could “overcome desires for power and superiority” in a relationship and instead put the relationship itself first.
This meant it not only made you attractive, it also protected against “wear and tear” within long-term relationships, they said.
“These results support the idea that humility is important for both the formation and repair of romantic relationships,” said lead author Dr Daryl Van Tongeren, of Hope College in Michigan.
The authors said humble people saw their strengths and weaknesses accurately, accepted criticism as easily as compliments and were likely to be helpful and generous.
Previous evidence suggested people might judge humility to understand how they could expect to be treated, they added.
The research was published in the Journal of Positive Psychology. – Daily Mail