For those that can or want to get married, wedlock represents one of the most significant life milestones. After all, it is a long-term commitment and one of those high stakes, high rewards type of decisions that surely nobody makes overnight.
Naturally, when thinking about the kind of person you want to spend a significant part of life with, the first thought that comes into mind is – someone similar. However, is this the reality of the matter? Do people tend to marry people with similar personalities? And does this mean that their marriage will last longer? Let’s find out.
Advantages of having Similar Personalities
Studies show that married couples of comparable personality types do enjoy a lot of benefits in their marriage, which impacts their satisfaction in the long run. One of the most apparent ones is the fact that similar personality types often share similar outlooks on life.
This compatibility implies that shared worldviews, ideas, and beliefs are less of a stumbling block and a cause for conflict in relationships between similar partners. This common ground between spouses is also mirrored in some significant life decisions, such as having children, or not.
Another benefit of having similar personalities is that you can understand your partner’s needs, fears, and insecurities more easily. In other words, there are higher levels of empathy among individuals who share personality traits. Moreover, this also means that siblings with similar personality types are more successful at positive conflict resolution.
Disadvantages of having Similar Personalities
One of the chief disadvantages of having a similar personality type as your spouse is also the main advantage – you share comparable ideas and beliefs. In other words, if you get stuck in a rut or fail to solve an issue as a couple, the chances are it’s gonna be a lot more challenging to do so.
The main reason for this is the fact that neither of the two persons has anything new to bring to the table as they both address the issue from a related perspective. Thus, it is likely that couples with comparable personalities get stuck on circular attempts of trying to resolve an argument or a problem.
Another disadvantage is that couples with similar personality traits don’t balance each other’s flaws out, but rather, to a certain extent, they overlap. This can sometimes result in poor decision-making, and misjudgments, which neither of the two can recognize and prevent.
Ultimately, having similar personality traits as your partner does ensure some level of compatibility in a marriage. But it’s not a total safeguard against all problems. While couples with similar personalities understand each other better, it’s likely they also share some of the negative patterns of behavior that are mutually reinforced.
[1] “What Happens When You Share A Personality Type With Your Spouse?” Truity [online] Available at: www.truity.com/blog/what-happens-when-you-share-personality-type-your-spouse [Accessed on: 14 Apr. 2020]