If you’re a Love Island fan, you might be sick of the phrase “my type on paper” – but it turns out we actually do have a particular ‘type’ when we’re (consciously or subconsciously) looking for love.
And unlike some of the show’s contestants (yep, we get you like tall guys, Molly-Mae), researchers describe our ‘type’ as based on personality traits, rather than physical characteristics.
The study from the University of Toronto found that people tend to date partners with very similar personalities – so much so, they say it’s possible to predict who individuals will couple up with in the future.
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The study, which started in 2008, monitored the relationships of a large group of people in Germany. The personality traits of their partners were analysed.
By 2017, 332 participants had dated two different partners. The researchers found the current partners of participants described themselves in ways that were similar to their former partners.
However, one group among the participants were more likely to date someone different: extroverts. Those who were extroverted, or more open to new experiences, were more likely to take a risk on dating someone with different personality traits to their previous partner.
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Published in the PNAS journal, the study authors said: “The present findings provide evidence that people’s new partners tend to have a degree of similarity to their previous partners, suggesting that people consistently engage in relationships with a particular type of person to at least some extent.”
More research is needed to understand this pattern, the researchers said, but results could be used to create a “matching” algorithm – or improve education around romantic relationships.
