You’ve probably noticed a connection between how many years a couple has been together and how much they look like each other. Any couple has many things in common, and some even have similar facial features. But there are couples who look as if they are brother and sister.
We at Bright Side have also noticed this tendency, and we decided to find out what scientists think about this interesting phenomenon. Who knows? Maybe there is someone out there for everyone. A heartwarming bonus at the end of the article will prove that true love can never be forgotten.
Resembling our parents
They say that a man tends to marry his mother. It is more likely that his wife will share some close similarities with his mother, both in habit and appearance. Scientists confirm that we choose partners who not only look like us but also like our opposite-sex parent. The most significant factors here are hair and eye color, and the age of our parents.
Number of years spent together
MCMULLAN CO/East News, Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/East News
Robert Zajonc, a social psychologist, compared photographs of couples from before they got married with those taken 25 years later. His study showed that even if a husband and wife had no facial similarities at all, some 25 years later they looked surprisingly alike.
Sharing experiences
Another reason for eventually starting to look like each other is sharing experiences with your partner. Throughout their life together, a couple experiences a great deal of happy and sad moments. Everything they go through together as a couple affects their body language and emotional state. Their history is “written” on their faces: even a couple’s wrinkles form in the same places.
We’re attracted to people who look like us.
According to studies, we’re attracted to those who share facial similarities with us. It’s called assortative mating, a theory suggesting that individuals with similar phenotypes mate with one another more frequently. If the 2 of you look alike, chances are your child will look a lot like both of you. Scientists believe this is how individuals try to maximize passing on their genes to the next generation.
Similar immune systems
Our immune system reflects our lifestyle, including our eating habits and physical exercise. A group of scientists concluded that couples who had been married for a long time have very similar immune systems. Maybe that’s why 2 partners often share their habits and lifestyle in general.
Mirroring
AFP/EAST NEWS
Couples who are in tune with each other often mirror each other’s habits and body language. It shows that there’s emotional comfort and trust in their relationship. Scientists state that partners tend to change their own habits throughout their married life. For example, if one of them was trying to quit smoking and started eating healthy food, the other one often did the same.
Bonus: Despite all the differences and similarities, the best thing to do is keep falling in love with your special someone over and over again.
“My grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s. He didn’t remember his children, his home, or anything else. But, as bad as it got, whenever he saw my grandmother he would say, ’Look at my beautiful wife!’”
And do you and your loved one look alike? Share in the comments!
Please note: This article was updated in July 2022 to correct source material and factual inaccuracies.
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