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Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel, Josh Radnor, and Cobie Smulders in ‘How I Met Your Mother’

The Crazy/Hot Scale is Real and Supported By Science


This isn’t some dating phenomenon anymore; this is real science. The crazy hot scale exists, and it is influenced by our personality traits – specifically, those that make us appear more exciting – provided, of course, that you are physically appealing. Examining two different studies, researchers have determined that borderline personality traits in attractive women and wealthy, low-attractive men are relatively favoured by the opposite sex.

Results published in March this year show that women are more astute in mate preference, while men often engage in “potentially turbulent relationships.” Unlike the opposite sex, women are better at “avoiding troublesome or financially challenged men who are time and economically costly”.

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Figure of The “Hot Crazy” Matrix
The “Hot Crazy” Matrix | Image: Alyson Blanchard, Thomas Dunn, and Alex Sumich

Taking a look at how the vulnerable dark triad traits of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and secondary psychopathy function affect relationships, men were more willing to engage in relationships with attractive women high in BPD traits. In contrast, women compensated low attractiveness for wealth in long-term dating. On top of that, women did not desire secondary psychopathy in any relationship.

Individuals that may be alluring as a result of being “interpersonally tempestuous,” can only offer a thrilling relationship for the short term. The catch – you have to be physically appealing too.

The research is inspired by the universal hot crazy matrix. This widespread cultural phenomenon is the single guy’s guide to dating women. Based on a graphical representation of men’s dating options based on rating women on two dimensions: “hot” (attractiveness) and “crazy” (emotion volatility). Women also have their own version called the ‘cute money matrix‘ which determines a man’s desirability on their attractiveness and wealth.

Looking at it from an evolutionary perspective, “men should prioritise attractiveness and women, wealth.” It is the intuitive appeal about men and women’s partner preferences in relationships that makes these concepts so mainstream. Now that research the “reliably supports such intuitions” it can be said with confidence that “prospective partners are indeed rated according to attractiveness, personality and resources differently according to sex.”

So, if you’re unfit and unattractive, it might be worth hitting the stock market rather than the gym.

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