Men 'more attracted to women who act dumb' The men also ranked these women as more attractive than those who were portrayed as brainy, they found. However, their interest fell off significantly when they were questioned about their interest in pursuing a longer-term relationship with the "dumb" women. The study concluded: "The assessment of a woman's immediate vulnerability may be central to the activation of psychological mechanisms related to sexual exploitation." Relationships expert Jean Hannah Edelstein said: "It's not a recipe for a happy relationship to select a partner based on what you perceive to be their inferiority."