They divide us into blondes and brunettes, “housewives” and “go-anywhere girls”, romantic fools and strict business ladies. We, women, respond in kind: we study male behavior to fit each new admirer into one stereotype or another, because “forewarned is forearmed.”
There are approximately 3 billion men on Earth, and probably each of them believes he is unique and irreplaceable. Yet psychologists claim the opposite: all sons of Adam can be sorted into psychological types, and there aren’t that many of them. Let us clarify immediately: the main criterion experts used to categorize men is their attitude toward women.
1. The Bad Boy: Attention, Danger
How to spot him: First of all, these guys are easily identified by their endless use of the word “I.” They exist across all social layers—from criminal circles to movie stars and rock musicians. They usually follow a “tough” style: leather jackets, shaved heads, plenty of tattoos. Their manners are far from refined: here you’ll find bad habits, rudeness, and coarse language. Some individuals are even capable of raising a hand against their partner.
A curious fact: women always tend to submit to Bad Boys, who in turn magnetically attract women. No wonder—this man is capable of anything! Even when the “bad boy” ends up behind bars, his companion stubbornly insists: “He made a mistake, but I love him.” Overall, this psychological type can be summed up in one phrase: “You won’t die with him, but you’ll suffer plenty.”
Who falls into his trap: Primarily women who need support. His stern nature and temperament create the illusion that he is a rock-solid shelter. In reality, the most he can offer his chosen one is an intoxicating storm of emotions, excitement, and danger. That’s precisely why “bad boys” attract another category of women—those who crave thrills and risk. Together, they form a duo worthy of Bonnie and Clyde.
How to keep him: Ignore him, even if you’re dying of love. Emphasize your achievements—in society, in your career. Casually hint (preferably through mutual friends) that your personal track record includes quite a few broken male hearts. His conqueror and hunter instincts—these are the strings you need to play.
2. The Adventurer: Oh, How Exciting!
How to spot him: Other names for this psychological type are Superman or James Bond. His passions include mountain biking, water skiing, diving, and skydiving. Around the Adventurer, the air is always charged with adventure; his life resembles a script by a mad director—trips, expeditions, and one thrill after another. Even an ordinary dinner can become a grand show in his hands. An intellectual and a witty man, he loves embellishing any story and emphasizing danger. Unlike the previous male type, adventurers get their adrenaline not from being “bad,” but from wild actions. And by the way, they don’t hit their partners.
Who falls into his trap: Women who lack emotions in everyday life—which means almost all of them. It’s important to remember: adventurers prefer women who are easily seduced, and rarely limit themselves to just one partner. What attracts them is bright feminine beauty and sexual allure. Fidelity, in this case, is out of the question.
How to keep him: Experience life’s best together with him. Don’t restrict him in anything and let things flow naturally: adventurers usually control their relationships, and they cannot be tamed. Still, it’s worth repeating often that you’re grateful for his presence in your life—this increases the chances that someday he might “retire” from seeking new thrills.
3. The Don Juan: Heaven in Diamonds
How to spot him: Compliments and flirtation—these are the Don Juan’s calling cards. This psychological type most often includes people in creative professions—artists, writers, actors—and simply handsome, pampered men with a fiery temperament who are used to female attention. They are erudite, well-read, and masters of the art of seduction. About such men it’s said: “a woman’s man,” because they understand daughters of Eve so well it seems they must have been women in a past life. As long as he’s in love, his chosen one is his muse, his dream made flesh. But, as always, there’s a catch: the Don Juan is fickle in his feelings. As soon as he wins the enchantress’s affection, “and here the fairy tale ends.”
Who falls into his trap: Girls who lack “immunity” to persistent courtship, ready to fly like moths into the flame, into the arms of a man with a questionable reputation. Also, women who constantly seek novelty in sensations, since Don Juans are usually renowned as unsurpassed lovers. Who could resist the temptation to “sample” one?
How to keep him: While he’s in love, he’ll pursue you relentlessly, but after that, all efforts are in vain. He flees at the slightest mention of marriage. A curious nuance: women, after the Don Juan “dissolves into the night,” don’t hold a grudge against him, but on the contrary, remain grateful for the range of emotions he gave them.
4. The Traditionalist: Order Above All
How to spot him: A man of this type isn’t necessarily quiet and calm like a museum clerk, but he possesses stability and conservatism. He’ll first tell you about the customs in his parents’ home, what meals his mother cooked on weekdays and holidays. Usually, the Traditionalist is taciturn, preferring classic clothing. Overall, he is family-oriented. Psychologists also define this type as the “father figure,” because in relationships with the opposite sex, the Traditionalist is used to being in charge. In short, a “homebody” through and through.
Who falls into his trap: Women who seek a family and a dominant ruler, who enjoy having their actions controlled.
How to keep him: Let your chosen one know you’re a good homemaker, a cozy and economical woman, that family is your highest value, and for its sake you’re ready to leave any prestigious job. Keep in mind: the smallest sacrifice you’ll have to make is giving up meetings with friends outside the home.
5. The Family Man: Stability
How to spot him: In everyday life, the Family Man is an ordinary man “without a spark.” At work, he’s quiet and diligent, doesn’t reach for the stars, but is passionate about any hobby—fishing, the cottage, his car. At first, life seems interesting to him, but gradually the man grows bored, either because he doesn’t believe he can achieve something better, or because he doesn’t want to make the effort. It’s precisely this inertia that drives him toward marriage as the most convenient form of existence. At the beginning of a relationship with a woman, he still tries to be the leader in the couple, but later willingly gives up that role. Sexually, he adapts to his wife according to her changing passion—he becomes the man she wants to see. He possesses a very valuable quality: loyalty and devotion. Psychologists believe the “family man” type is undervalued worldwide, especially by women.
Who falls into his trap: The answer is banal: equally ordinary, family- and home-oriented women. This will be a quiet, peaceful union, about which no poet could say it better: “Habit is given to us from above, a substitute for happiness…”
How to keep him: It won’t take much effort—the Family Man values what he has and only leaves the nest when his wife’s nagging becomes unbearable. Therefore, carefully balance the whip and the carrot.
6. The Doormat: It’s all for you!
How to identify him: Men of this type are shy and express submissiveness through their entire demeanor; they avoid eye contact during conversations. In the workplace, they are excellent executors—responsible and disciplined, often possessing enormous potential that, unfortunately, remains untapped due to innate modesty. The quintessential embodiment of the Doormat is Zhene Lukashin from “The Irony of Fate.” He is ready to fulfill all his partner’s whims (do not confuse with the Don Juan), always accompanied by the phrase, “Something wrong, darling?” Doormats, like problematic men, can be found across all social strata—history knows even brave generals who, in private life, are completely dominated by their authoritative wives.
Who will fall into his nets: The ideal life partner for a Doormat is a decisive and energetic woman who prefers to treat him like a mother—caring for and pitying him. Strong-willed women often prefer having men of this type as admirers, though sometimes even marry them. In essence, such a marriage cannot be called happy. And if the wife abuses her power over her husband, he may either seek solace in the company of the green serpent (alcohol), or run off to a more loyal “mother figure.”
How to keep him: Maintain his confidence in his own abilities, cherish and nurture him.
It would be great if every man easily fit into the framework of one or another psychological type! But, as a rule, in any representative of the stronger sex there is a “hellish mixture” of characters, with only one being dominant. It is precisely this dominant type you need to identify in order to understand where the “wind is blowing” from. Good luck!
