Heres how you get a man to enjoy a chick flick

Melodramatic tear-jerkers, generally called chick flicks, bring about subsequent groans and scowls amongst men. But a new study has suggested that the nagging males can be made to savour the sob stories if theyre frankly told that its purely fiction.

Washington, Nov 29 : Melodramatic tear-jerkers, generally called 'chick flicks,' bring about subsequent groans and scowls amongst men. But a new study has suggested that the nagging males can be made to savour the sob stories if they're frankly told that its purely fiction.

The study 'Fact or Fiction: An investigation of Empathy Differences in Response to Emotional Melodramatic Entertainment' points out that a person's level of empathy is actually the determining factor.Researchers tested the empathy levels and the subjects' reactions to various melodramas, and found that if people have high empathy, usually women, they will enjoy a story more if it's based on fact.

Conversely, people who are low in empathy, typically males, when you tell them in advance that it's fiction they'll enjoy it more.

"We think it's because it gives them an excuse to enjoy it. They let down their guards," lead author Jennifer Argo, a marketing professor with the U of A School of Business, said.

The study was co-authored with Rui Zhu and Darren W. Dahl of the University of British Columbia.

The findings will be published in the February, 2008 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

ANI