This is the ideal age difference in a relationship

One year, seven months, and three weeks, that is the age difference between me and my boyfriend. If you round the years a bit up and down, then we are from the same building period. Our mothers both wore shoulder pads in any case, and mine definitely had a teased quiff in the year I was born. But the question is: does age difference matter in the success rate of a relationship? Research shows that it does.

I always think it doesn't matter much. If there is love in the air between you and you also love yourself, then it will surely be fine. But, scientists say, age difference is definitely a factor to consider. First, let's look at the age preference when you ask men and women separately.

When we look at research among heterosexual men, it shows that men prefer to have a relationship with younger women of early twenties. In this case, it doesn't matter how old they are themselves, by the way. It lies in the slower process in which men mature (science says so) and a survival instinct that is deeply rooted. Women, on the other hand, prefer a relationship with someone of about the same age or a maximum of one or two years older. For now, I operate quite according to the book.

By the way, did you know there is a calculation that people believe in for the maximum age difference? Half of your age plus seven is: as far as I'm concerned, still a wild guess whether it works. Research says that the ideal age difference is zero. A relationship is less likely to end in divorce if partners are from the same birth year. The chance of divorce increases by eighteen percent with a one-year age difference. And the larger the gap becomes, the sadder the results.

How come? It probably lies in recognition. I grew up with Gabbertje, he/she grew up with Gabbertje. I cycled to school with a discman, he/she did too. In primary school, you collected flippo's and in group eight, you won at marbles. Almost no age difference ensures that you go through phases together, in which you recognize and find each other. Are you heading towards five or ten years? Then the chance of breaking up increases slightly with each year.

Now that you know that, it's a nice moment to prove the opposite. Even I, with my one year, seven months, and three weeks.

Source: The Economist