Everything starts with the ultimate question "What do women want?" and famously, it has be very hard to answer it. But what women want isn't such a mystery. Relationship experts, sociologists and therapists have been studying the interactions between the sexes for decades, and they tend to agree on five basic things that woman require in a relationship.



1. Romance.

It's exciting to meet someone new, discover that they like you, too, and go out on a date. Women adore romance, and they love the endorphin rush they get from anticipating a romantic encounter. So feed her need for romance - bring her flowers, or a CD of her favorite band, or take her on a romantic picnic.

Be a gentleman and open doors for her, and compliment her freely. A few kind words about her dress or her hair will be go a long way, as will as your hand gently places on the small of her back when entering the restaurant. As hokey as it sounds, even kissing her hand, if done at the right time, will be an impressively romantic gesture and not as goofy as it sounds.

2. Mutual interests.

The main thing that anyone wants from a date, either male or female, is companionship. Nothing feels better than finding someone who shares the same interests as you, whether it's books, movies, arts or a hobby.

Once you find out what the two of you have in common, you can tailor your dates to enjoy your shared interests. Why do the usual dinner date when you can instead enjoy a trip to the museum to see a traveling exhibit of Impressionist paintings, or to a late-night horror movie full of zombies and gore. Spending time together sharing something that you've each enjoyed individually creates an additional bond, as with shared laughter, mentioned above.

3. Kindness.

Forget the tough-guy act - women want men who are considerate, thoughtful and, above all, kind. They want someone who'll put an arm around them when they cry, who'll bring them a cup of soup when they're sick, who'll pet their dog and play Legos with their child.

They want to know that you'll listen to how they got into a fender-bender and help them to feel better, not yell at them for wrecking the car. Women spend a lot of time nurturing others, and when they're in a relationship they want to get a little nurturing in return.

Most women who have extramarital affairs report that it wasn't sex that led them to stray, it was attention and understanding - they had affairs with men who listened to their problems and treated them with kindness. If they'd been getting that attention at home, they wouldn't have felt the need to cheat.