Women like nice guys, love “bad boys,” and marry rich men, or so the saying goes; but is it true? Common sense tells us that money is important in life. Perhaps this is why many men assume that if they're not good looking, having a cool car, a great job, or a big house is the next best thing.

But what about bad boys? Recent studies confirm that bad boys are actually more successful with women than their nicer counterparts. The question remains however, why on earth would a woman prefer a brash, arrogant, narcissistic, self-obsessed alpha male to a genuinely nice guy? The reasons may be surprising.

Psychologists point out that many women are by nature very maternal. Bad boys are so remarkably like kids that some women often can’t resist the urge to mother them. They believe they can change them. The problem is that bad boys usually don’t want to change. Socially, nice guys are often shy and tongue-tied around women. Bad boys can be deceptively charming, and know exactly what to say. Are they sincere? Perhaps, but often they aren’t and sometimes women find out too late.

So is it time for nice guys to swap their sport coats for leather jackets? Probably not. Wealth, looks, physical attributes, education, influence, and power still matter, but most women are looking for “commitment, loyalty and trust" from their potential mates– none of which are bad-boy traits.

Written by Michael Dupre