Good Lifestyle

Is the age difference in couple life just a number? For many couples who live in romanticism, absolutely yes. Usually age is not perceived as a factor of incompatibility in couple life, by those who have a larger or smaller partner than him/she only a few years old. For couples who, on the other hand, really live a relationship with a (a) partner with a significant age difference, the question is much more salient and, sometimes, can be a cause for breakage in a story that cannot go beyond the early stages of the relation. What do you think about it? Is the age difference an element that can make a difference in a story? Let's find out together what psychologists think about it.

Age is not a characteristic like the others

Do you know the saying "who looks like it is pilled"? Never true to make a relationship work. It happens very often that people fall in love with those who are very similar to them for a whole series of aspects: degree of education, political orientation, hobby, sports to practice in free time, work, etc. However, although this model of compatibility based on similarity is solid, age is one of those factors that goes against the trend. Various sociological studies indicate that heterosexual couples tend to have on average an age difference of about three years and they have a few years older men almost always men.

The age difference is not just a private question

The fact that there is a general trend in the registry of the couple says a lot about how commonly accepted this is social level. The more the scissor widens, the more it becomes an evident feature both for the same partners and for public opinion. An important difference in age is clear and difficult to "hide" and therefore more exposed to the judgment of others. All this can generate a sense of (excessive) self -criticism on one's relationship and the fear that cannot work, also due to a hypersensitivity to the ideas of others on (in) adequacy of such a relationship. An example? In an interview with Howard Stern, George Clooney said that he would not believe that his current wife Amal would be interested in him precisely because of the 17 years of age who separate them. Instead, George and Amal Clooney have been together since 2013, have been married for eight years and have two beautiful twins.

One of the two take advantage of it?

Why is there a social prejudice on couples in which one of the two is much larger than the other? The reasons can be very different and, sometimes, even unjust and unfair. The evidence suggests that the prejudice linked to this type of relationship is due to the widespread belief that one of the two gains more than the other. As if those who are older took advantage of the beauty of those who are younger or those who are younger took advantage of the probable economic solidity of those who are bigger. But it is not said that it is.

Couple psychology

The way we relate to age when it comes to feelings is not dictated by the case. According to evolutionary psychology, it is a crucial factor since it is based on the premise that the human mind follows adaptive strategies to encourage the reproduction and survival of the species. There is a sort of ancestral principle according to which women take advantage of a partner with a solid social status and with adequate economic resources because they are able to support the education of children and the well -being of the family. Characteristics related to the most mature men. On the other hand, men have developed an instinctive predilection for younger women because their youth is an index of fertility and, scientific data in hand, men seem to be more fruitful with women who can have children.

The couples counterstitutes

However, this does not mean that many happy couples are in contrast to what has been said so far. There are numerous couples in which the age difference is not only wide, but it is also opposite to that envisaged by evolutionary psychology, in which women are much older than their male partners. Think of Madonna, for example, who recently celebrated his 64 years and the beginning of the story with his new boyfriend Andrew Darnell, actor and model who is only 23 years old. Or the historic couple formed by Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron. 44 years old, 69 years old she, happily married since 2007.

The variables

In order for a relationship with a strong age difference to work, some variables must be considered.

If it is not a simple adventure, it is important to ascertain that long -term goals are shared. Relationships are more successful when you want the same things. And this is worth a lot for long -term work projects as for weekend projects! And then, no less important, there is the support of the dear people. Whether we like it or not, our family and friends play a very important role in our relationships. Generally, when there is the support of those who love us the life of a couple is more sustainable, while their disapproval can trigger (unaware) self -cousaders, who risk compromising in the bud a potentially happy and satisfying story only because the partners have A big age difference.