credit Tim Mossholder
Researchers have confirmed that opposites do, in fact, attract, as a study commissioned in front of the launch of a UK television show found that one in five couples admit they have nothing in common.
The study of 2,000 adults in a relationship found that 24% have totally different hobbies to their other half. But the differences don’t stop with pastimes.
One in six of the couples, or 14%, said their music taste couldn’t be further apart from their partner.
51% of the couples look very different in appearance, and say this is what sparked the attraction in the first place.
Looks, sense of style, and spoken accent are other common differentiators that initially caught their eyes and ears.
Overall, an eye-opening half of all those polled said these opposing relationships really work.
The study was commissioned by Sky Atlantic, to launch its new series The Lovers.
The data found couples are more likely to be closely aligned on what food they eat and what holidays they prefer to go on, than many other subjects like film taste or their jobs, but 22% of those polled admit they’ve made a conscious effort to change their interests, to match their partner.
Just over a third have clashed with their significant other when it comes to making decisions.
However a quarter of them believe couples who have opposing interests are more likely to stay together than those who do not, and 73% believe having different interests can lead to more diverse and enriching conversations in a relationship.
In today’s 24-hour media landscape, companies pour billions of dollars into making sure adults remain connected with their interests 24-7. Pages on social media sites can rake in ad revenue by doing nothing other than making memes targeted at people who are interested in certain TV shows, hobbies, sports teams, or lifestyles.
Outside social media, suggested products follow internet users wherever they go, constantly attempting to connect them with products that match their interests.All this can lead to an over-emphasis on the importance of cultural or habitual interests in relationships. When trying to make a relationship work, or simply to get one off the ground, it can sometimes just require looking at the person from a different perspective beyond that of whether they share your interests—what else is attractive about that person, how can you place that more toward the center of interactions. One in Five Successful Couples have ‘Nothing in Common’ – Showing Opposites DO Attract
