Same Height Couples: Why Do You Attract Someone As Tall or Short As You?

There's a notion that men should be taller and women shorter. However, more and more couples of the same height have been spotted together. So, what's the theory behind same-height couples?

Same Height Couples Theory

Research from the University of Edinburgh suggests that individuals attract those who are similar to them. Apparently, the "like attract principle" works in dating.

Following an examination of the DNA sequences of over 13,000 pairs, the researchers discovered that devoted couples share many of the genes involved with height.

David Givens, Ph.D., author of "Love Signals," believes that isopraxism, or "same behavior," in biology is the most likely explanation.

Isopraxis, sometimes referred to as "mirroring" or "limbic synchrony" in relation to bodily movements, is the phenomenon in which two people unintentionally mimic one another's gestures and body language. This is often carried out without the initial performer realizing they are mimicking the actions of another. While it occurs in many different civilizations and animal species, humans are the ones who exhibit isopraxism the most. It's been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for developing relationships and fostering mutual understanding and trust.

Additionally, per Givens, the idea that "same is safe" is the foundation of the "like attracts like" theory. As a result, any physical discrepancies, such as a partner who is significantly taller or shorter than you, could be a warning sign as they deviate from your norm.

However, this doesn't mean you're drawn to partners who are exactly the same height as you. Most of the time, guys end up with women who are either somewhat shorter or about the same height.

According to University of Albany evolutionary psychologist Gordon Gallup, Ph.D., ladies prefer guys who are either at or somewhat taller than them. He believed there may be a greater goal behind this trend, which is to stabilize the population's height distribution.

The height distribution would change, and a semi-taller or semi-shorter society would result if men and women favored only shorter or taller partners respectively.

And that matters because being extremely tall or extremely short has significant health consequences. For example, extra inches have been associated with a lower life expectancy and a higher risk of cancer. On the other hand, short people may be more susceptible to cardiac issues.

Short People Live Longer Than Tall Ones?

Based on data from millions of deaths, a 2003 study published in Elsevier found a negative correlation between height and longevity.

The study's conclusions indicate that shorter people seem to live longer than their taller counterparts. It also found that "shorter, smaller bodies have lower death rates and fewer diet-related chronic diseases, especially past middle age."

Among almost 2,500 male athletes from Finland, cross-country skiers were six inches shorter and typically lived nearly seven years longer than basketball players. Furthermore, men under five feet four inches of height lived two years longer than their taller counterparts in an Italian army research.

A previous study carried out in 1992 reached the same outcome. The purpose of the research was to evaluate a part of the entropy hypothesis of aging, which suggests that an increase in internal disorder causes aging and that an individual's life expectancy declines with mass.

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