Science calls soulmate myth into question with multiple studies

A BBC feature examines research on attraction, trauma bonds, and relationship satisfaction, challenging the idea of a single perfect match.

• A 1993 study by Donald Dutton and Susan Painter found that trauma bonds form when partners alternate between kindness and abuse.
• A series of studies in the late 1990s led by C. Raymond Knee distinguished between destiny beliefs and growth beliefs in relationships.
• Economist Dr Greg Leo published computer simulations identifying that many compatible partners exist, not just one soulmate.
• Sociologist Jacqui Gabb's 2015 Enduring Love project reported that small everyday gestures matter more for relationship satisfaction than grand romantic acts.