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A glance is enough for a woman's subconscious "radar" to detect a man's suitability as a mate, according to research published in a British science journal.

Bridal couples in front of the Tower Bridge in London
© AFP/File Jim Watson

Women find men with high testosterone levels and masculine faces attractive but see them as short-term prospects, while men with an interest in children had long-term prospects as potential husbands.

However, this was separate from women's appreciation for a "kind" face, according to the Royal Society Biological Sciences journal.

Researchers in the United States tested 39 male undergraduate University of California students of different ethnicities for their testosterone levels and affinity with children.

The men were shown pairs of pictures -- one depicting an adult and the other a baby -- and asked which they preferred.

Five demonstrated no interest in the baby images, while the rest showed a range of preferences. Some were exclusively drawn to the pictures of infants.

The scientists took photos of each man displaying a neutral expression which were then shown to 29 women students.

The women rated the pictures on whether they thought the men liked children, or appeared masculine, physically attractive, or kind.

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