Well, this is deep for a Sunday evening.
A study published in Personality and Social Psychology bulletin has found that relationships are stronger and more satisfying when they make you feel like the best version of you – even if it isn’t authentic.
It is a form of aspirational thinking being reflected back at you by your nearest and dearest.
In the surveys, the authors of the study asked people to describe their ‘true selves’ and their ‘ideal selves’. Across the board, the researchers found that those who said they behaved like their ideal selves with their partner also rated their relationship as more ‘authentic’ than those who didn’t.
Christian Jarrett, study director, commented on the results of the study:
“At least when it comes to feelings of authenticity in a relationship, what seems to matter the most is not that we can be ourselves but that we can behave as the kind of person we strive to be”.
We tend to make more progress towards our ideal selves when our partner has the same traits that we aspire to have ourselves, through encouragement or acting by example.
What do you think, does your relationship reflect this thinking?
