Why beta males are great boyfriends: Cosmo makes the case for dating a guy who is not just cool with your gutsiness but champions it. The question is, are you evolved enough to embrace that type?(LOVE AND LUST)

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The football quarterback, The high-stakes attorney. The hedge-fund entrepreneur. What do they all possess? Alpha-male traits that women are conditioned to desire: uberconfidence, aggressiveness, and status. But, says Tina Tessina, PhD, author of The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again, "while these types of guys can be great supporters financially, they may not lend as much emotionally because they are focused on themselves and their own achievements much of the time."

Their counterparts on the machismo spectrum, of course, are the beta males. "Personality-wise, they tend to be laid-back, even-tempered, and gently assertive," says psychologist Yvonne Thomas, PhD. "They're comfortable with a teamwork approach instead of having to be in control all the time." (Think TV characters like Jim Halpert on The Office and Dan Humphrey on Gossip Girl).

And while they may never rise to be the CEO of a company, these sensitive dudes are more inclined to put friends, family, and significant others before career-ladder climbing. For this reason, they complement powerful women ...