1. The secret of a happy relationship revealed
We all want to look for a ‘compatible’ life partner with whom our romantic relationship can become a smooth ride. However, most of us assume that compatibility means sharing similar personality traits and areas of interest with your lover. A recent study published in the Journal of Research in Personality has debunked this myth and suggested that sharing behavioural characteristics with your lover does not promise a happy relationship.
2. The study
In a study done at Michigan State University, the researchers analysed the relationship of around 2,570 heterosexual couples. Interestingly, this research started way back in 1968 and the participants belonged to the age group of 22 to 51 years.
3. The Big Five traits
The researchers looked at the respondents’ satisfaction levels in the relationship, and tried to gauge how much this was related to a set of personality traits they termed as ‘Big Five’. The list of these Big Five traits included include openness to experience (being up to trying new things), conscientiousness (being organised and detail oriented), extraversion (having an outgoing and sociable attitude), agreeableness (having care and concern for others), and neuroticism (not dealing well with stress and having more mood swings).
4. The finding
The study concluded that participants who were more conscientious, extraverted and agreeable and less neurotic tended to be happier in life and with their relationship. Also, people whose lovers were less neurotic and more conscientious were happier as well.
5. It all depends upon YOU!
The study clearly indicated that one’s happiness in a relationship lies in his or her own hands and sharing similar personality traits with your partner might have a little impact on the relationship. Basically, it all boils down to how you choose to see situations and feel about your relationship.
6. Do sharing similarities lead to initial attraction?
A meta-analysis of around 300 studies that got published in SAGE Journals suggests that sharing similar personality traits with a prospective love interest can lead to initial attraction. However, the effect of these similar traits on relationships satisfaction is ‘not detectable’.
7. What matters the most in a relationship
Another study done of this subject of satisfaction in a relationship indicated what matters the most is your own personality traits! This is followed by your lover’s and then comes the similarity between you and your partner. But again, the impact of having similarity in terms of personality traits was weak in this study.