There are several answers to this question, and none of them are as romantic as we would expect. These are rather scientific explanations that have already been investigated by experts and there are behind several studies that confirm it.
A century ago, couples got together within the same community. And in many of the cases, even if they were distant relatives, it is possible that they had common ancestors. Over the generations, the affinity between people has been building a common genetic structure.
But genetics isn’t all that makes couples look alike. There are more studies that speak of another cause: involuntarily, there are people who to find a partner, look for a similarity with one of their parents (although only the idea may horrify us). This is because the traits that are familiar to them are the ones that appeal to them the most.
In couples who have been together for years, the resemblance is still more evident, not only physical, but also the personality of each one is changing. And it is that when you spend so much time next to a person it is normal to imitate gestures, expressions and their customs to stick to the point where, although the physical resemblance is not entirely evident, it ends up being produced. Scientists call this phenomenon “social facilitation,” which explains how partner behavior can unconsciously modify physical traits.
As you can see, it is not about people choosing their partner because of a physical resemblance to them, but rather that with the passage of time the resemblance between the two tends to converge. Next, we talk about four phenomena that “help” this to happen:
Eating habits: If you eat the same thing for 10 years, it is likely that your physique will end up being similar. Although this point will also depend on the lifestyle of each one individually.
Environment that surrounds you: Exposure to the same environmental factors, such as the sun, will translate over the years to the same skin type and tone. Another obvious example is found in the practice of sports. If you both live an active life when it comes to exercising, two healthy and athletic bodies will be appreciated.
Personality: We tend to choose as a partner other people who are similar in terms of personality and tastes. In this way, it is also possible to age in a similar way. For example, very outgoing people tend to hang out with people who are also outgoing. And in time, the two of you will end up looking like an outgoing couple. Here we disprove the myth that “opposites attract”. You can read more about it in this article: The myth of opposites in love
Empathy: Over the years, we empathize with the way of being, acting and behaving of our partner. Somehow, we make ourselves to her and she to us. Unconsciously, we adopt facial expressions and some gestures, a consequence of spending a lot of time next to each other. With the passage of time, a way of smiling, a small tic in the eye, a peculiar cough or even the way of yawning becomes our own.
As you can see, the question we asked ourselves at the beginning of the article has several answers. That does not mean that there are couples who are not alike at all and love also triumphs, but following the line of all these explanations, we find several arguments that explain why more and more people tend to get together with people similar to them, or else Over time they end up resembling each other due to a joint coexistence.