If you had to choose between a dating person with a killer sense of humor or a heart-stopping sex-bomb who’s universally lusted over, which one would you go with? Yes, this is about to turn into a never-ending debate over whether wit is more important than looks, but we’re prepared to have fun with it (it’s possible that our bias is totally showing).
Generally speaking, humans are initially drawn to possible partners based on appearance. But how many times have you had a change of heart about someone because they did or didn’t you laugh? Maybe that’s because a mighty sense of humor is a quality that lets you know you’re dating a keeper.
We can’t pretend to ignore the superficial side of things, though: Beautiful people experience life differently (read: mostly better) than most, thanks to the privilege their physical appearance often earns them.
Although they land high-paying modeling gigs or a spot on a “most beautiful person’s list,” we can still think of more than a few reasons someone being funny seriously is more important them being hot.
1. HUMOR CAN BE A MASSIVE THING FOR SOMEONE TO BRING TO A RELATIONSHIP
While a hot person can give you real butterflies, a person who makes you laugh can somehow hit you even harder. They can entertain you and bond with you over weird inside jokes that no one else understands. In those moments when life is treating you so bad you could collapse on the ground and ugly cry, you can skip the pity party, get with this seriously funny individual, and laugh through your pain.
2. HUMOR CAN BE A TURN-ON
Whether this person is funnier than they are hot, humor has been known to get people all worked up, even if the other party isn’t exactly their cup of tea in the looks department. There’s even some scientific evidence to prove that humor totally turns women on, and we can certainly co-sign. TIME ranked humor as a quality that makes someone irresistible, and uh, yeah. That seems about right.
3. HUMOR IS A SIGN OF INTELLIGENCE
And not just your average IQ levels. In fact, people who possess a dark sense of humor are basically geniuses. Studies show a strong connection being funny and above-average intelligence, Business Insider reports. Smarts > eye candy any day, y’all.
4. IT’S ALSO JUST AS ATTRACTIVE AS PHYSICAL TRAIT
Heads may turn when a good-looking person walks in the room, but there’s also something equally attractive about a person who’s funny AF.
On humor’s social benefits, Psychology Today notes,
“Not surprisingly, funny people receive positive attention and admiration. Your ability to create and appreciate humor also influences who wants to date, mate and befriend you. Most studies find humor to be a highly desirable attribute, which explains why the acronym GSOH (good sense of humor) finds its way into personal and online dating posts.
5. LOOKS FADE
We know you’ve heard this a bazillion times, and no one (good-looking or otherwise) wants to hear about how they’re destined to wind up as a shriveled shadow of their formerly hot selves. But since we’re keeping score between humor and hotness, we have to say it: The staying power of looks has absolutely nothing on that of humor.
The ability to share a laugh with another person will be around long after the disappearance of their chiseled abs, luscious locks, or anything else than makes an individual aesthetically pleasing.
6. HUMOR IS A SIGN THAT YOU’LL HAVE FUN TOGETHER
Sure, you can think of some incredibly fun activities you can enjoy with that fine human specimen you’re currently thinking about dating, but there’s reason to believe that having a sense of humor is a better indicator of a person’s pleasure potential.
A 2015 study published in Evolutionary Psychology explored why humor is more important in romantic attraction, and it concluded that humor plays a major role in people’s ability to form relationships that last.
“Part of what it means to be social is the ability to joke along with people,” lead researcher Jeffrey Hall told Science Alert. “The ‘script’ [of laughter and joking] is powerful and it is enduring, and it dictates everything from asking someone out to picking up the tab.”
Obviously, it’s up to you to decide what you value in the people you spend time with, plus that decision depends on the type of relationship that appeals to you. In the end, don’t forget about the advantages that lie in not allowing someone’s looks to overshadow their sense of humor (or lack thereof). And hey, if they have the looks and bring the laughs, then you really win.
