Photo: flickr/K. Kendall
Finally, an expression popularized by the TV show
30 Rockhas made it into the scientific literature. In this study, the scientists used surveys to identify and rank the top 10 relationship deal-breakers for both short-term and long-term relationships. The table is reproduced below, and you'll note some interesting patterns--for example, "is bad in bed" and "smells bad" are only deal-breakers for short-term relationships. People also tended to weigh deal-breakers more heavily than "deal-makers" (e.g., "is intelligent" or "has a good sense of humor"). In the spirit of continuing this important research, please share your own deal-breakers in the comments below!Relationship Dealbreakers: Traits People Avoid in Potential Mates "Mate preference research has focused on traits people desire in partners (i.e., deal-makers) rather than what traits they avoid (i.e., deal-breakers), but mate preferences calibrate to both maximize benefits and minimize costs. Across six studies (N > 6,500), we identified ...
