Small Gestures That Quietly Boost a Man's Confidence (And Why Women Miss Them)

A new study reveals the tiny acts that disproportionately inflate male self-worth, with most going unnoticed by their female partners. Top confidence boosters include: pretending to laugh at his 11th-grade-level jokes ("It's the fake chuckle that counts"), asking for help with jar lids he knows you can open yourself, and the holy grail - casually mentioning his name in stories told to friends. "We're basically golden retrievers with credit scores," admitted one subject, beaming after his girlfriend asked him to explain football for the 47th time. Relationship therapists note these micro-affirmations cost women almost nothing but yield massive returns in male productivity and reduced moping. The most controversial finding? That remembering his obscure Star Wars opinions works better than compliments, with one test subject reportedly fixing a leaky faucet within minutes of hearing "You're right about midichlorians."