A TikTok dating theory promised single guys that adding one accessory would get them way more attention from the ladies.
A San Jose man decided to test it out. But the experiment didn’t quite go as planned. Instead of attracting more romantic interest, he realized why it might not be such a great idea to cosplay as a cheater.
Man Tests Viral ‘Wedding Ring Theory’
In a viral video with more than 860,000 views, content creator @inthecut1 shared his experience testing a popular dating hack he’d seen making the rounds online. The premise is simple: Single men who wear wedding rings supposedly attract more women.
“Someone on this app said, ‘If you’re a single guy—and you wanna have the best time of your life on a weekend—to wear a wedding ring,” @inthecut1 says in his first video on the matter.
Intrigued, he decided to do what he called an “educational experiment” to see if the theory held up.
“So I’m gonna be trying out this educational experiment. And I’m gonna see how much sniz I can score this weekend,” he says. “So BRB with the results.”
The Results Are In
In his follow-up video, @inthecut1 revealed the wedding ring theory was a complete disaster. Instead of attracting more romantic interest, it had the opposite effect.
“So following up with the wedding ring, bro. I got no sniz. I got a drink thrown at me,” he reports.
Things got even worse from there.
“I got slapped once. Twice, actually. And, yeah, it does not work. Do not wear your wedding ring during the weekend. If you’re trying to have a good time, just do not wear it.”
He then quickly adds: “All right. No. I’m kidding you guys.”
It’s unclear how much truth there is and how much of it he said for comedic effect.
Science Behind the ‘Wedding Ring Effect’
The theory that wearing a wedding ring makes someone more attractive has been discussed in dating circles for years, and the science behind it is surprisingly complicated.
The concept is related to what researchers call “mate-choice copying,” which is the idea that people might find someone more attractive if they’ve been “pre-approved” by another person, The Cut reports.
A 2009 study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that single women presented with a man who was described as unattached registered interest at 59%. But once the man was described as being in a committed relationship, interest skyrocketed to 90%.
The phenomenon comes down to two key factors: social proof (the positive validation of having been chosen by a wife) and scarcity (wanting what seems unattainable). Other reasons include the perception of stability, the proof that a man can commit, and the appeal of a grown adult who has his life together—especially in an era of man-children, “high-value men,” and perpetual bachelors.
However, there’s a crucial distinction between theory and practice.
Fatherly reports that while women may find married men attractive in photos or hypothetical scenarios, real-life interactions tell a different story. One study had women actually interact with men wearing wedding rings and men who weren’t. When researchers asked afterward who they’d rather have dinner with, have sex with, start a relationship with, or invite home, ringless men won out across all four domains.
As Fatherly notes, subsequent studies have bolstered the claim that women are attracted to married men in theory, but less so in practice.
Perhaps the ultimate irony: Being partnered makes you more attractive. But the moment you try to cash in on that boost by actively pursuing romantic encounters while wearing a wedding ring, you become significantly less attractive and safe.
Commenters React
“As a single dude, I wore a wedding band for a while, and it was actually insane how many more women would hit on me…” a top comment read.
“This has ruined my perception of marriage and relationships,” a person said.
“What if…. A ring just makes women get their guard down cuz she doesn’t think your ganna be hitting on her ? lol idk just a thought,” another pointed out.
“This actually works! I do this every weekend here in vegas,” a commenter shared.
BroBible reached out to @inthecut1 for comment via TikTok direct message and comment.