Scientists may have finally answered one of humanity’s most debated questions: why do straight men love breasts?
For decades, researchers have wondered whether men’s attraction to female breasts is biologically hardwired or a result of Western cultural influence.
To find answers, a research team from the University of Wrocław in Poland studied the Dani tribe of Western New Guinea, Indonesia—where toplessness among women was once the norm until Western fashion standards took over in the last 20 years.
The study compared 80 heterosexual Dani men:
- 40 older men who grew up in a society where women were topless
- 40 younger men who grew up after Western-style clothing became widespread
The surprising result? No significant difference in how much either group was aroused by breasts or how often they touched them during intimacy.
“The two groups did not differ in terms of how frequently they touch their partner’s breasts during sexual intercourse, or how sexually aroused they feel when they see naked female breasts,” the study stated.
The research, published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, suggests that men’s fascination with breasts might be biological, not purely influenced by media or culture.
Lead researcher Dr. Michal Stefanczyk said the results point to a natural sexual attraction:
“What we can say is: breasts are sexy — naturally so. Men like breasts.”
Still, researchers noted that in the Dani community, breasts weren’t a major factor in choosing a life partner, highlighting the complexity of human attraction.
Steve Stewart-Williams, psychology professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, added:
“I’ve heard people argue that men’s love of breasts is purely a Western invention. But could Western culture really have randomly created an obsession with elbows or nostrils instead? I find this study persuasive — and a win for common sense.”
Image credit: AFP Via Getty Images