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Romantic music might help you get a date

Or so French scientists reckon. When women were invited on a date by the fake researcher at the end of a fake marketing discussion, they were far more likely to accept if they had been listening to romantic music in the waiting room before the ‘discussion’ than to a more neutral tune.

The researcher – previously rated 'average looking' by a separate group of women - used the same patter each time and at the end of the ‘discussion’ (about organic cookies if you must know) said: ‘My name is Antoine, as you know, I think you are very nice and I was wondering if you would give me your phone number.’ Over half (52%) of the women - all aged 18-20 - said yes after listening to the wonderful – and dead romantic – ‘Je l’aime a mourir’ by Francis Cabrel compared to just 28% of women who had been listening to the more pedestrian ‘L’heure du thé’ – tea time - by Vincente Delerm.

Dig out the Barry White

Both tunes are very well know in France where the study was carried out. Would the results be similar in the UK or are French girls different? Dig out that old Barry White vinyl and find out. (For those who are wondering, Francis Cabrel is pictured above - an image which suggests it must be the tune itself rather than a mental image of the singer which made the girls so agreeable.)

The researchers, led by Nicolas Guéguen from the University of south Britanny said: ‘Our results confirm that the effect of exposure to media content is not limited to violence and could have the potential to influence a high spectrum of behaviour. The results are interesting for scientists who work on the effect of background music on individuals’ behaviour.’

Very interesting for shops too. Previous research has found that men spend more on flowers when romantic music is playing. ‘Our results seem to show that people’s behaviours related to more intimate affects are also influenced by background music,’ said Guéguen.