How many times have you heard that “opposites attract”?
This popular saying has always fueled the romantic hopes of many people, but new scientific research could make us reconsider this belief.
The study, conducted by the University of Colorado in the United States and published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, examined data over nearly a century that includes information on more than 130 distinctive personal traits, including political inclinations, age of first sexual encounter, and consumption habits.
Surprisingly, for most of these 130 characteristics, each of us tends to partner with someone similar who shares the same values and ideals.
Only in a small percentage of cases have individuals opted for partners with characteristics different from their own.
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According to experts, these findings could revolutionize the way we conceive romantic relationships.
Dr. Matt Keller, the study’s author, emphasized that “a lot of models in genetics assume that human pairing is random. This study shows that this assumption is probably wrong.”
“These results suggest that even in situations where we feel we have a choice about our relationships, there may be mechanisms happening behind the scenes that we are not fully aware of,“ says Dr. and researcher Tanya Horwitz.
In other words, the new discovery prompts us to reflect on our personal preferences and the underlying mechanisms of relationships, leading us to consider similarities more carefully when seeking a romantic partner.
Ultimately, although the saying “opposites attract” has had enduring romantic charm, it seems that reality is different.
Science teaches us that when it comes to love, we may be more inclined to find our soulmate among those who share our same characteristics.
This article first appeared on Grazia.it
