Bad boy archetype
The bad boy, cad, bounder or thug is a male who behaves badly, plays hard to get, oftentimes is abusive especially towards women.
Being a promiscuous rogue may be as successful a reproductive strategy as the strategy of being a reliable provider. Evolutionary psychologist Professor Bill von Hippel claims that women are especially attracted to such bad boys when they are ovulating.[1] According to an article in The Independent, there is a "dark triad" of personality traits associated with naturally occurring 'bad boys', consisting of narcissism, thrill-seeking, and deceitfulness.[2]
The attraction of beautiful women to the "bad boy" archetype is attributed both to his confidence, intriguing mystery, seeming indifference, (suggesting an abundance of sexual options)[3] and unavailability, which challenges women to chase him. This contrasts with supplicating men who seem needy and desperate to please, suggesting lower value, and so are less attractive.[4]
The bad boy is a common archetype in romance novels.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Is your man a Cad or a Dad?, The Courier Mail, May 8, 2007
- ^ Connor, Steve (June 19, 2008). "Why women really do love self-obsessed psychopaths". The Independent. London. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ^ Male archetype
- ^ Tate, Brett. The Professional Bachelor. pp. 91–94. ISBN 978-0-09752640-2-7.
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