Opposites attract, but only with your best mate

For years we’ve thought opposites attract, but this is only true for your best friend and not for your boyfriend or girlfriend according to new research. 

When it comes to your bestie, the relationship works best if you’re completely different.

And the only thing you need to have in common is a love for drinking together.

Myth-busting scientists examined different combinations of people who had developed strong friendships.

The perfect BFF was discovered to be an emotionally stable extrovert who was conscientious and a fan of change.

They’re the ones we need around when we’re going through a break up or have just failed our exams.

BFF for life

In the study, researcher Kelsey Edelmann from Keystone College in Pennsylvania said: “Friendships work best with a certain amount of opposite attracting.

“This makes it different from a romantic relationship, where it helps if you are largely similar.”

So this means if you hate Marmite then your best friend should love it but you boyfriend/girlfriend should share your hatred.

The study also revealed that if you’re loud and extroverted, you want a quieter friend who can calm you and balance you out.

You also like the fact that you can easily take the piss out of them apparently, researchers discovered.

On the other hand if you’re quiet and anxious you want a risk taker who will make you more open to new things.

But you do need to have one thing in common though: drinking.

Booze with bestie

Apparently the big bonding experience is getting drunk together and tackling the constant problems and adventures this involves.

Dr Steven Howell told The Times: “When you have been drinking, when you are exchanging confidences and taking risks in your circle, you cannot fake friendship.

“You send out an honest signal about whether you can be trusted.”

Basically you’re bad at hiding things when you’re drunk, so if you bond while wasted the friendship is more likely to last in the long run when you’re hungover in the morning.

If they helped fix your shoe when the heel came off or consoled you when the love of your life got with your arch nemesis on the dance floor then they’re a keeper.

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Dr Howell said: “The guy or girl with the black eye who drags you out of the dumpster after the bar fight is the true friend.

“However badly they behave, or whatever spouses or other friends may think in later years, such friendships can last a lifetime.”