A new Frontiers in Psychology study found that height plays a meaningful role in shaping romantic attraction across cultures. Men generally prefer shorter women, a trend that may arise from social or evolutionary cues linked to approachability and youthfulness. Women, meanwhile, often favor taller men, associating height with protection, strength, and reliability—traits valued in long-term relationships.

The research shows these preferences are context-dependent. Criteria for short-term partners may differ from those for committed ones, and height can symbolize emotional security or stability rather than physical power alone. These insights highlight how attraction operates differently depending on relationship goals and cultural setting.

Even so, individual differences remain large. Personality, culture, and life experience all influence how people perceive height, showing that attraction cannot be reduced to a single factor. The study concludes that while height matters, it interacts with a wider network of psychological and cultural influences that shape romantic choice.