Science Says These Are The Traits That Make You A Good Or Bad Dating Partner

If you're single AF or having trouble finding love, you may want to check out this list.

Psychology Today published research today which breaks down the qualities that make someone a good relationship partner. Respect, honesty and trustworthiness, friendliness, extraversion and conscientiousness are all on that list. In addition, people look for potential prospects that have similar personalities to them.

What's interesting is a trait like respect contributed more to relationship satisfaction than feelings of liking or loving a partner, according to researchers Frei and Shaver. Similar to that logic, trustworthiness was a key factor to healthy relationships -- "authentic" men and women reached a place of stability and commitment by disclosing any and all truth to their partners.

On the other hand, the traits that make someone a bad relationship partner include narcissism, neuroticism and a lack of conscientiousness.

A trait like neuroticism is especially disadvantageous to relationships because it's associated with an increased outcome of divorce. According to Medical News Today, neuroticism "is a prolonged negative emotional state manifesting as a depressed mood, anxiety, anger or difficulty coping with stress."

I suppose all of this makes sense. I have dabbled in the narcissistic pool of gentlemen and it never worked out in my favor. Despite my having intense physical and emotional chemistry with guys like them, they were incredibly unreliable. I never knew where they'd be off to next or what kind of mood they'd slip into.

And then, there were the more boring guys who didn't quite strike my fancy but were on the same page with me in terms of their values -- like me, they wanted a relationship. But I'm single because I let dudes like that go, since they weren't "adventurous enough" for me.

But studies like this help point us single folk in the right direction. Because at the end of the day, if you don't trust someone you really like, you can't exactly be with that person.

According to this list, I'm low-key kind of a bad relationship partner. Oops.

Citations: Some Personality Traits Make You a Better Romantic Partner (Psychology Today)