The way that interpersonal attraction develops is related partly to how we select a mate. Typically, men prefer women with the classic shapely body figure, probably because it signifies youthfulness, good health and fertility. However, there are cultural and ecological influences. In traditional agricultural societies, being thin may mean having a serious disease, so men prefer their women to be heavier. In modern Western societies, where heaviness may indicate ill health, men prefer slimmer women.