A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology reveals how height influences romantic preferences. Men tend to prefer shorter women for short-term relationships, while women generally prefer taller men, regardless of the relationship type.

The study, involving 536 participants from Canada, Cuba, Norway, and the U.S., showed minimalist drawings of individuals of varying heights and asked participants to choose their ideal partner’s height for short-term and long-term relationships.

On average, men preferred women 2.5 cm shorter than the average female height, while women preferred men 2.3 cm taller than the average male height. The study also found that taller individuals often preferred taller partners, known as assortative mating.

Interestingly, men favored even shorter women for short-term relationships, suggesting that height plays a more complex role in romantic preferences. Despite some limitations, such as using drawings instead of real-life interactions, the study highlights the impact of cultural and biological factors on romantic choices.