https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160223102840.htm
"In what might be considered a paradigm shift, the study's most surprising discovery is that people in relationships do not change each other over time. Instead, Bahns and Crandall's evidence places new emphasis on the earliest moments of a relationship--revealing that future friends or partners are already similar at the outset of their social connection, a major new finding, say the authors.
"Picture two strangers striking up a conversation on a plane, or a couple on a blind date," says Bahns. "From the very first moments of awkward banter, how similar the two people are is immediately and powerfully playing a role in future interactions. Will they connect? Or walk away? Those early recognitions of similarity are really consequential in that decision."
Whether or not a relationship develops could depend on the level of similarity the two individuals share from the beginning of their meeting. "You try to create a social world where you're comfortable, where you succeed, where you have people you can trust and with whom you can cooperate to meet your goals," Crandall said. "To create this, similarity is very useful, and people are attracted to it most of the time."
"In what might be considered a paradigm shift, the study's most surprising discovery is that people in relationships do not change each other over time. Instead, Bahns and Crandall's evidence places new emphasis on the earliest moments of a relationship--revealing that future friends or partners are already similar at the outset of their social connection, a major new finding, say the authors.
"Picture two strangers striking up a conversation on a plane, or a couple on a blind date," says Bahns. "From the very first moments of awkward banter, how similar the two people are is immediately and powerfully playing a role in future interactions. Will they connect? Or walk away? Those early recognitions of similarity are really consequential in that decision."
Whether or not a relationship develops could depend on the level of similarity the two individuals share from the beginning of their meeting. "You try to create a social world where you're comfortable, where you succeed, where you have people you can trust and with whom you can cooperate to meet your goals," Crandall said. "To create this, similarity is very useful, and people are attracted to it most of the time."