Sorry Paula, Opposites Do Not Attract!

24 years ago Paula Abdul had a hit record with the song “Opposites Attract.” But since nobody is lining up to give Abdul a Nobel Prize for brains, is there any truth to the old adage that opposites attract? Research says – not really.

In fact, Paula may want to pen a sequel because just the opposite is true.

It turns out most of us actually seek out people who think and act like we do. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found that people who considered themselves attractive wanted a similarly attractive partner. If they considered themselves wealthy – they were NOT yearning for someone poor. The similarity attractiveness factor extends beyond looks and wealth. Those with strong family values or religious beliefs felt more comfortable with like minds – while free spirits prefer to drift through life together. The same held true for levels of anxiety, agreeableness, extroversion and intelligence.

The idea that opposites attract may be a quaint romantic notion but it doesn’t play out in the real word….  gosh, I  wonder what that says about my wife! Sorry Honey!

Source: Law, Sally. "The Truth on Whether 'Opposites Attract.'" LiveScience. March 27, 2009. (Dec. 1, 2009)