People are attracted to one another through looks, and having a decent income or job title can of course end up providing an incentive to continue dating that person. A lot of people seem misguided, however, into believing that this is the most important quality that a romantic partner has to offer. Psychologist Alexandra Solomon of Nortwestern University in the US, however, said that being able to stick together through tough times is more valuable.

The Changes Life Brings – And Handling Them Effectively

“External trappings” are the names that Solomon gave to various factors such as a person’s job, their income and even their appearance. According to her, these things tend to “come and go”. It could be that you are transferred to another part of the country. Or your partner could lose their job. It is in these times that both people need to able to determine whose needs are greater and what they have to follow through with. Working together on this, Solomon says, is a more important factor and traits like job and appearance pale in comparison.

This isn’t something that is easy to figure out, especially in the first couple of dates. There are small indications of a bigger picture for the future, however, such as how a person handles smaller interruptions (whether they blow up at a waiter, or are rude to a taxi driver). Overall, it is the relational self-awareness of one another that will keep people strong, according to Solomon.

Source: Business Insider