Why ‘Bad Boys’ Are Sexy: People With ‘Dark’ Personalities Have More Sexual Partners

A new study might have thrown some light on the appeal of ‘bad’ boys and girls as sexual partners.

The study, which focused on 1,000 heterosexual men and women, found that people with pathological personality traits - such as poor impulse control, or being neurotic - actually have more sexual partners, and more children, than average.

Being neurotic, obsessive or impetuous is actually associated with more sexual partners, according to Fernando Gutiérrez at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona.

People who are impetuous and reckless are successful at securing lots of short-term partners, the researchers found, in research published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour.

Men who are obsessive-compulsive are also successful at finding long-term love, the researchers found - although the same is not true for women.

Neurotic women are 34% more likely to be in a long-term relationship than average - despite having traits associated with anxiety and insecurity.

Gutierrez says that such traits may confer an evolutionary advantage - and may have been part of the human race since the dawn of history.

He suggests that people may be attracted to risk-takers as their lifestyle is a sign they are genetically sound - ie they can survive their own bad decisions.

Gutierrez says, ‘While they are selfish, rule-breaking, imprudent and rebellious, they are also brave, temerarious, independent and self-reliant—and they live frantic, galvanizing lives.

‘This captivates many people. This desirability could also have an evolutionary basis - a signal that the subject has such good genetic quality and condition as to live dangerously without suffering harm.’