People tend to prefer people whom they see as being like them. For example, research into romantic attraction has shown that we’re often drawn to people who are similar to ourselves. It’s been suggested that although we might find it easier to understand people like us, it’s possible that we might get a little bored after a while, but if we choose instead someone rather
different, we are likely to have a more interesting time (perhaps with more arguments!). This preference tendency affects every area of life. Even in politics, research has shown that the personal characteristics of both voters and candidates play a major role in orienting political preference (Caprara et al 2007). Awareness of this tendency can potentially help us make better decisions and choices, as we allow for its influence on our assessments of others. As our people choices are based less on similarity and more on complementarity, our lives and our world are so much more enriched!