Check out this Reuters article:
NEW YORK, Jan 31 (Reuters Life!) – Men might protest when they’re dragged along to the latest “chick flick” but really they enjoy romantic movies almost as much as women, according to a new U.S. study.
In a survey, psychology professor Richard Harris from Kansas State University asked 250 men and women to watch a romantic movie together then rate their enjoyment level on a seven point scale, with seven being the top score.
Women rated the movie at about six but men rated the film at about 4.8 which is much higher than people would have guessed and went against the usual stereotypes, Harris said.
“Everyone thinks that women like romantic movies and that they drag guys along to them,” Harris told Reuters.
“What was significant was that the guys also liked the movies, and that the choice to view a romantic movie was usually made together as a couple, not just by the girl.”
The study also asked both men and women to guess which scene their date would choose to play in the film.
Most women selected a romantic scene for themselves and their date, but guessed their date would pick a sex scene.
Harris said while many men did select a sex scene, the number was not nearly as high as the women predicted, with the findings again running contrary to common stereotypes.
He said movie studio executives should put aside stereotypes about “chick flicks” and recognize the fact that there is a moderate interest among men in romantic movies.
“There are a lot of men who go to these romantic movies and enjoy them. I wouldn’t write off the male audience just because it is a romantic film. I would suggest marketing to the men in the audience,” he said.
