We're all familiar with the cliché rom-com love story: a boy and a girl from completely different worlds cross paths and despite all obvious differences, end up making the perfect match. From Romeo and Juliet to Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez to even Cinderella and Prince Charming, these fairly tale couples have shaped our perceptions of relationships and have given us a false illusion of the true compatibility of two distinctly different people.

While we would all love to believe in the powerful attraction of opposite personalities, science points us to a more logical truth.

According to research done by the University of Kansas, people who have more intimate relationships tend to share similar views on personal issues such as values, behaviors and prejudices. What is even more surprising is that based off of the data from the study, people do not change each other during the course of their relationship but rather are already similar when they begin to connect.

As humans, we are innately attracted to people who make us feel comfortable because we try to create an environment where we are surrounded by individuals that we can trust.

We crave similarity because it makes us feel safe and valued.

Even though the findings from this study reveal the importance of sharing core beliefs when building a relationship, there is still strength and beauty in the differences between two people. Differing characteristics allow us to broaden our view of the world and can add excitement and spontaneity to otherwise simple conversations and dates. You might end up eating at a restaurant, playing a game or even traveling to a different country that you would have never gone to otherwise!

While similarities maintain and strengthen a relationship, differences keep them interesting and dynamic and ultimately, the key to that fairytale relationship could just be to find the perfect balance between the two.