We see it all of the time. Two people who seem completely opposite from one another fall in love and end up together. There are those couples who are physically very different—one is quite short and the other quite tall. Or, one might be the veritable social butterfly who is extremely extroverted while his or her partner thrives on being quiet and at home alone with just the two of them.
We've got good news (for some of you at least): A new study reveals that contrary to popular belief, couples don't actually grow more alike over time—even after years and years of living together. What's more, the same study found that opposites don't really attract, after all.
The other day, as I watched Laura Bush tell Larry King that she’s pro-choice and pro-gay marriage, I instantly pictured the Bushes having shouting matches at the dinner table, looking around furtively to make sure no one was witnessing the spat. Reading my thoughts, Larry asked Laura whether their politics were a source of friction between the couple. Unflinchingly, Laura said no. "I understand his viewpoint," she said. "I really do. I understand his viewpoint, and he understands mine." Really???
A recent study by the University of Michigan proves that when it comes to spending and saving, those with a strong inclinations to either end attract their opposite. While these opposing actions may cause electricity at first, the team found that risks for marital disputes increased depending on how stark the differences.
It's officially not fit for man nor beast outside, and with a hurricane bearing down on the East Coast, there's no better time to hole up in a dark, air-conditioned room, perhaps with someone you love and/or would not mind seeing naked, and pop in some sexy summer movies.
Can DNA predict that elusive quality in the love equation known as "spark"? According to Tamara Brown, founder of the website GenePartner.com, it can, reports Sally McGrane for Time magazine. The Switzerland-based company makes love connections based on genes, or one particular family of genes known as human leukocyte antigens (HLAs).
Are you still compatible?
According to Evolutionary Psychology, people usually look for someone who is similar to them rather than as a complement. This means that the old maxim that opposites attract may be a little specious. It looks like you shouldn't take dating advice from Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat.
My husband loves to play the stock market. Sometimes, his strategy pays off. But he often loses big, too. Even before the October 2008 stock market crash, his investments had lost a third of their values from their peak. He still believes he's going to make a comeback. I'm not so sure about that. But I also don't really care. And that is the beauty of our money system.
Think no one understands your odd taste in partners? Check out these successful Hollywood odd couples.
Psychologists define Type A personalities as organized, aggressive and prone to think that the weekend was made for reorganizing the linen cabinet. Type B personalities are relaxed, easy-going and think the dishes can wait until tomorrow. But what happens when they actually tie the knot? Opposites can and do attract, and sometimes they marry. In a relationship, opposites balance one another out and can develop deep and meaningful connections. But all of that happens after the finish arguing over who should make up the bed and whether drinking beer and watching football is a good way to spend a Saturday. One woman describes how she and her husband struck a balance between the Type A and the Type B.
