Actually, opposites do not attract, at least in human conjugal relationships. The majority of studies have found that couples tend to have characteristics in common. These can be physical - across a range of cultures, certain physical dimensions in husband and wife pairs tend to correlated more strongly than random; the length of the earlobe is one such measure. Unconsciously, we check out potential partners by looking at their earlobes (we don't realise we're doing it, it only shows up in objective measures).
In terms of personality, couples also tend to be strongly correlated - but again, only in certain dimensions of personality. One partner could be very extraverted and the other rather introverted; but they may share other traits such as conscientiousness or agreeableness.
The old wives tale that "opposites attract" is probably based on observing couples who are superficially dissimilar in some ways - one is blond, the other brown haired; one is cheerful, the other reserved ... but they are in fact strongly matched in several other less obvious ways. The technical name for this tendency is 'propinquity'.
Your question was very specific but Opposites attract in relationships because one person completes the other. Opposites attract with magnets because north and south poles produce a magnetic field that sticks them together
Generally, the attraction to an opposite is psychological, not physical (though that does occur). We learn new traits and skills from those who are wired differently than ourselves.
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Actually, opposites do not attract, at least in human conjugal relationships. The majority of studies have found that couples tend to have characteristics in common. These can be physical - across a range of cultures, certain physical dimensions in husband and wife pairs tend to correlated more strongly than random; the length of the earlobe is one such measure. Unconsciously, we check out potential partners by looking at their earlobes (we don't realise we're doing it, it only shows up in objective measures).
In terms of personality, couples also tend to be strongly correlated - but again, only in certain dimensions of personality. One partner could be very extraverted and the other rather introverted; but they may share other traits such as conscientiousness or agreeableness.
The old wives tale that "opposites attract" is probably based on observing couples who are superficially dissimilar in some ways - one is blond, the other brown haired; one is cheerful, the other reserved ... but they are in fact strongly matched in several other less obvious ways. The technical name for this tendency is 'propinquity'.
Hope it helps.
Your question was very specific but Opposites attract in relationships because one person completes the other. Opposites attract with magnets because north and south poles produce a magnetic field that sticks them together
Generally, the attraction to an opposite is psychological, not physical (though that does occur). We learn new traits and skills from those who are wired differently than ourselves.
Interesting question. The first thing I thought of was magnets. I'm not good at science and mathematics, but here's what I think. (magnets aside)...
It's so much easier to be pulled by something you aren't or don't have. It's like wanting to find something different.
Maybe because it makes things interesting.