How did the sitcom How I Met Your Mother influence so many people worldwide? In the sitcom, the “Mermaid Theory” is introduced and discussed by Barney, a character, but many of the character’s perceptions are too biased towards women.
Please read the blog to learn about whether science is justifying the theory’s orientation and whether it is true to some extent! However, there are certain strange perceptions, which I will clarify in the blog. The dating theory does influence how we understand human evolution future.
Read along to learn about Mermaid Theory and how it inspires certain perceptions of humans!
Is Barney’s ‘Mermaid Theory’ Actually Backed By Science In HIMYM?
What do you know about the “Mermaid Theory”? Are you familiar with the series How I Met Your Mother and how Mermaid Theory has been introduced? Please keep reading to learn more about how humans behave with other humans when attracted to them!
In this blog, I will address the hypocrisy of the theory and identify the scientific concept backing the dating theory proposed by Barney! Does the evolutionary process have something to do with this theory? Read along to know more.
There is a science backing the “Mermaid Theory” introduced by Barney, which is analyzed in this blog based on scientific theory! Well, Barney is not from Vatican City so we have to believe his every theory.
What Is The Mermaid Theory?
The term “Mermaid Theory” has been coined in the sitcom series How I Met Your Mother and is often considered one of the standing dating theories in the modern world. The theory is not just some twisted version of a womanizer character!
The theory’s origin is rooted in the “mere-exposure effect” psychological phenomenon! The approach closely resembles the effect, especially when it suggests repeated exposure to something makes you like it more.
The psychological perception comes from the practices and behavior of humans that support people feeling attracted and comfortable with something they are more familiar with! Familiarity breeds from more exposure, leading to increased preferences.
Reference From How I Met Your Mother!
The character of Barney in the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Harris, coined the term “Mermaid Theory.” The character is known as one of the biggest womanizers in the history of television and series. Also, the character objectifies women through theories and misconceptions!
Many of which are strange and morally completely wrong. He has also created a Playbook in which he has written in detail all about the different “plays” through which he can win over women. One of these plays is his “Mermaid Theory,” which supports a belief in the character of Barney!
If you start staying with her for a long period, getting exposed to her habits, behavior, and pattern, you are bound to want to have sex with her after a certain point. Even if you initially do not like the woman, you will ultimately end up feeling sexually attracted to her.
The term that Barney used is women who might look like manatees to a man initially will look like a mermaid if he spends more time with her! Exposure to her will make the man want to pursue her.
He also made a point that a pregnant woman will again be a manatee for a man, showing his skewed perception of all women.
Mermaid Theory: A Fact Or A Myth!
The urge for a man to sleep with a woman increases if he hangs out with her longer; it is not just a theory that Barney from the sitcom How I Met Your Mother quips! One of the logic from which Barney drew inspiration for this theory is the conditions of the Sailors.
The title is also inspired by the stories and folktales where Sailors are attracted to manatees as they start seeing them as beautiful mermaids. Sailors spend a lot of alone time in the sea, which makes them lonely, while they spend a lot of time with manatees, leading to confusing them as mermaids.
The question remains! Does this story have any truth in it? When evaluating the theory on a psychological level, the exposure effect can integrate an increased sense of liking with more togetherness. The impact on the first few exposures might be more potent to a stimulus. Hence, it is logarithmic.
There are significant studies on the mere exposure effect after Robert Zajonc devised different aspects such as interpersonal contact, word evaluation, interpersonal attraction, work frequency, liking, and musical frequency! Further, your sense of discriminability and initial familiarity also influence how you behave with someone from gender.
Origin Of Mermaids!
The concepts related to mermaids have always been cryptic, even if biologically, they seem otherworldly, fantastic, and improbable. So, if you want to learn about mermaids, you believe in mythical stories.
As an ancient part of human storytelling, mermaids depict a side of humans that always crave the supernatural, the powerful, the siren, and the mystical! In different cultures, there are diverse sets of stories, expectations, and understandings of mermaids.
The Mermaid Theory by Barney is about how he looks at women and how men behave around women. The belief that mermaids are beautiful and something that cannot be resisted comes from the mythical legends worldwide because there has not been any evidence of their presence.
Is There Any Connection To Mermaids And The Dating Theory?
In my opinion, the Mermaid Theory does have specks of truth, but it is not limited to a specific gender. Based on the exposure impact, it can happen to a woman who, with more familiarity with a man, feels attracted and develops feelings over time.
So, we must recognize the theory. Instead, I find that there is a common ground in how both men and women feel a connection with the opposite gender if they spend more time with each other. This, of course, applied to people without any blood relations!
There is a relation between Mermaids and the standard dating theory of mere exposure effect because it supports how you see a person, not a real mermaid but as beautiful as one. The mermaids are considered an evolved version of humans and fish.
The theory of mermaids is more like flat earth theory, you can’t believe it or you can’t not believe it! The dating theory resembles some of the traits often discussed between the sailors and the mermaids in folklore and cultural tales.
The characteristics are compared concerning men and women, leading to their behavior patterns when dating!
Finishing Off
Now that we have discussed this in detail, I also want you to identify certain other characteristics of Barney from the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. It will not only surprise you but also help you determine how much of his behavior supports the objectification of women.
If you have already read the blog and want us to talk more about the mere exposure effect, do let us know.
Comment below on how women are objectified concerning how men influence them to behave a certain way.
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