Forget about opposites attracting. We tend to prefer people who look like us because they are likely to share similar personality traits. Moreover, a recent study suggests that the longer couples stay together, the more alike they become in appearance.
 |
| As couples age, they tend to look more alike (Photo: LiveScience, VNE) |
Researchers have investigated why couples often resemble each other. They asked 11 men and 11 women to evaluate the age, attractiveness, and personality traits of 160 couples. The photos of the husbands and wives were viewed independently, ensuring that volunteers would not know who was married to whom.
The experiment showed that men and women deemed to look alike and share similar personality traits were, in fact, couples. Similarly, the longer couples remained together, the more their similarities increased.
The researchers speculated that shared life experiences may have influenced the appearance of couples.
The idea of a connection between appearance and personality may sound unusual, but it could be rooted in biological factors, according to Tony Little, a member of the research team from the University of Liverpool in the UK.
“Testosterone is believed to shape male facial features and influences behavior. Likewise, our faces express our emotions, and over time, these emotional expressions may become etched on our faces,” Little said. For example, someone who smiles often will likely have more wrinkles and muscle tones that reflect happiness.
Other studies have shown that couples with genetic compatibility often have happier marriages. Similarities in personality and physical traits may serve as indicators of this genetic alignment.
T. An (according to LiveScience)
