Where The Boys Are
It affects what the other boys will spend on a date, according to a recent study by Vlad Griskevicius. Jill Krasny writes at Business Insider:
Sex ratio, or the number of single adult men versus adult women, impacts economic decisions such as how much a man is willing to save, spend, and borrow, the study found.The fewer women there are, the less likely men will want to save for the future, and the more likely they'll be to take on debt. That is, they'll spend more impulsively when they sense there's a shortage of women.
...The researchers asked 205 individuals (104 female) around the median age of 21.5 years-old to view a series of nature images and headshots. After being told the photos were either of people from a local dating site, recent graduates still living in the area, or people currently on campus, the participants were asked to record the number of men and women they viewed. Then they were asked to make a money decision: Would they'd prefer to receive $35 tomorrow or $45 in 33 days?
The men who sensed a shortage of women said they wanted the money tomorrow, whereas those who felt differently were fine with putting off the pay day until later. The same also applied with regards to saving--men who noticed fewer women around told researchers they were less inclined to put money away in the bank.
Now that I think about...this does seem true of me.
When I was just out of college I saved a lot (relatively speaking). Then in my late 20s the lack of available women became apparent -- especially that would date an old man like me (e.g. most available women were 21-23 and weren't interested at all in an old of 29).I saved less, spent more. Now recently I moved for work and there are no available women and I seem to be spending even more -- take today, I went to a benefit program, I saw not a single women who was not there with a guy (or working there) and there was probably around 50 guys w/o women. I dropped by a local water hole afterward...around 15 guys and 1 couple.
The Former Banker at August 12, 2012 11:18 PM
I find the total opposite is true. I turned 30 this year and on a self-imposed break from women. My finances and organization have never been better.
Gene at August 13, 2012 6:02 AM
Former Banker: take today, I went to a benefit program, I saw not a single women who was not there with a guy (or working there) and there was probably around 50 guys w/o women. I dropped by a local water hole afterward...around 15 guys and 1 couple.
That describes my experiences in Seattle: always more single men than women out in public. I can understand single women shying away from bars (unless they're the kind of bars where women feel they can meet wealthy men) but even at things like art gallery shows and book readings, there are always more single men than single women, often a lot more.
JD at August 14, 2012 5:32 PM
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