Byline: DAVID EDWARDS
IF you and your partner spent last night fighting over the TV remote control, your relationship could be doomed.
And if there's a fight over the CD player for who gets Beethoven or Bob Marley on first, maybe it's time to call it a day.
For lasting love is not a case of opposites attract but more about sharing views on pasta, pornography and politics.
After spending more than 20 years studying warring couples, leading psychologist Dr Glenn Wilson believes having 25 key things in common is a surefire way of telling whether a relationship is likely to succeed.
Dr Wilson, who lectures at the University of London, says: "We tend to dismiss people who don't fit our blueprint of perfection but our research proves that true love is doomed unless we have a number of what might at first appear to be mundane and obscure things in common.
"There is obviously an area of love that involves chemistry and animal attraction but our research found areas where, unless the couples felt almost identically, their relationship would be in trouble before long." Kylie Minogue and James Gooding, for example, seemed perfectly happy together - except that he loved partying but she preferred to stay in. Dr Wilson, co-author of Better Sex, is so sure of his test that he has teamed-up with advertising expert Jon Cousins to launch Cybersuitors.com, an internet dating agency that uses his theory to match clients.
Applicants are asked 25 multiple-choice questions and the results are compared with those of every other person on a database.
Dr Wilson says: "Women were eight times more likely to admit their relationship was unhappy if their view about pornography differed from their partner's.
"The big issue with men was whether their woman was more - or less - experienced in bed."
ANSWER THE 25 QUESTIONS WITH YOUR PARTNER
YOU and your partner should answer the following questions and then calculate your individual scores. For every question, the first answer is worth one point, the second two points and so on up to five. Work out the separate totals for you and your partner, then subtract the smaller score from the larger. If that figure - the difference between your scores - is below 10, you are ideally suited, if it is below 20 you are still highly compatible. But if it's over 40, it could be time to end the relationship. Are you ready?...
How would you describe your height?
1 Quite tall
2 Above average
3 Average
4 Less than average height
5 Fairly short
Which of these best describes you?
1 Quite a bit overweight
2 A little overweight
3 I suppose my weight is about average
4 I'd describe myself as slim
5 I'm pretty skinny really
How would you say your IQ compares to other people's?
1 I think I'm extremely clever
2 More intelligent than average
3 As intelligent as the next person
4 I'd say I am a bit below average
5 I suppose I think of myself as being a little dull really
How would you rate your appearance?
1 I think people would say I'm very attractive
2 I'd call myself rather attractive
3 I would say my looks are average
4 I'd describe myself as rather plain
5 I'd have to say I'm very plain really
What sort of sex drive do you have?
1 Pretty non-existent
2 I'd say my sex drive is low
3 I'd describe it as about average
4 I think my sex drive is above average
5 To be honest, I'm absolutely insatiable
If you had to choose just one, which of these is your favourite type of music?
1 I prefer music such as rap or reggae
2 My favourite is pop
music, Top 40 stuff
3 I particularly enjoy easy-listening music
4 Jazz would be my number one choice
5 My preference would be for classical music or opera
Which of these types of TV shows do you like the most?
1 Game shows are my favourite
2 I couldn't do without soap operas
3 I especially enjoy cop shows or comedies
4 My preference is for serious dramas
5 I'm always keen to watch news programmes and documentaries
What is your view of chivalry?
1 I think it's old-fashioned nonsense
2 It's pretty unnecessary
3 It's OK sometimes
4 It's a desirable quality
5 I'd say it's an essential part of life
Which of the following best describes your view of drinking?
1 Completely unacceptable
2 All right for other people but not for me
3 I drink occasionally
4 I drink quite often
5 To be honest I think I drink a bit too much
How would you describe your political views?
1 I'd describe myself as being far left
2 I'm left of centre
3 I'm pretty neutral, not really interested in politics
4 I would say I am right of centre
5 The best description of me would be far right
What do you think of pornography?
1 It's disgusting
2 I prefer to avoid it
3 It's OK sometimes
4 It's harmless fun really
5 I actually think it's a great turn-on
How essential is that you both remain faithful in a relationship?
1 To me it's essential
2 I'd say it is important
3 I suppose the odd lapse is all right
4 I think you have to expect affairs
5 I would want to have an open and swinging relationship
What do you think of foreign food?
1 I really can't stand it
2 On the whole I prefer plain food
3 It's OK for a change
4 I enjoy most foods really
5 I prefer foreign food
Which of the following best describes your view of parties?
1 I actually prefer being alone
2 Small groups are OK
3 I think a few parties are OK
4 I'm quite fond of parties actually
5 I love wild parties
What is your view of smoking?
1 I think it's totally intolerable
2 I feel it's fairly undesirable actually
3 It's OK for other people to smoke
4 I'm a light smoker
5 I'd describe myself as a heavy smoker
How religious would you say you are?
1 Committed to my religion
2 I go to church (or another place of worship) sometimes
3 I worship in private
4 I'm not really religious and never worship
5 I'd say I was actively anti-religious
What do you think about children?
1 I dislike them
2 Other people's children are OK
3 I've no strong feelings one way or the other
4 I may want my own children one day
5 I definitely want my own (or already have them)
In your view, is money important to you?
1 No, you can't buy happiness
2 I just need enough money to live
3 I want to be comfortable
4 I'd like to be rich
5 Yes, I want to be very rich
How experienced are you in bed?
1 I'm a virgin
2 I'm rather inexperienced
3 I've had no complaints so far
4 I would class myself as an experienced lover
5 I'm really hot stuff
Which of the following best describes the type of relationship you'd prefer?
1 A casual friendship is fine
2 I'd prefer a lasting friendship
3 I would favour a short-term affair
4 My preference would be for an intimate long-term relationship
5 I would choose marriage
What level of education have you reached (or do you expect to reach)?
1 My education ended when I was 16
2 No further education after leaving school at 18
3 Some further education
4 Graduate degree
5 Postgraduate degree
Which of these activities appeals most?
1 I'd choose relaxing, sitting in a chair for example
2 My preference would be for some mild exercise such as gardening
3 Moderate exercise like walking would be my choice
4 I would prefer more serious exercise such as backpacking
5 Something strenuous like football or running would be my choice
What is or was your occupation (or which do you plan to take up)?
1 I'm a professional, a doctor or teacher for example
2 Managerial - a business manager or police inspector etc
3 My job is clerical, admin or customer service
4 Skilled manual - motor mechanic, chef for instance
5 Non-skilled manual job - labourer, cleaner etc
How do you feel about pets?
1 I hate them (or I'm allergic to them)
2 I don't really like them
3 Some I like, others I don't
4 I enjoy them if it's practical and acceptable where I live
5 I can't imagine life without a pet
What do you think about astrology?
1 It's a total waste of time
2 I'm rather sceptical about it
3 It's harmless fun
4 There's probably something in it
5 I often read horoscopes for guidance
CAPTION(S):
PAGE 6 DAILY MIRROR, Monday, July 15, 2002; STORMY: James and Kylie
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