A new study in Frontiers in Psychology explored how height affects romantic preferences.

Researchers surveyed 536 people from Canada, Cuba, Norway, and the U.S.,

showing them simple drawings of different heights and asking which they preferred for short-term and long-term relationships.

Overall, men chose women who were about 2.5 cm shorter than the average woman in their country,

while women preferred men who were 2.3 cm taller than the average man.

Taller people also tended to choose taller partners, a pattern known as assortative mating.

The study found that men’s choices changed with relationship type, as they preferred even shorter women for short-term situations.

Women’s preferences remained consistent.

This suggests height plays a more complex role in attraction than previously understood.

Researchers note that using drawings and height labels may not fully reflect real-world dating,

but the results still highlight how cultural and biological factors shape partner preferences.