Holidaying, cooking and arguing - relationship gurus reveal best ways to get to know your partner
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Going on holiday, cooking a meal together - and having an argument - are among the best ways to get to know your partner , a study has found.
A poll of 2,000 loved-up Brits has revealed the ways in which you can see your other half's true colours and really find out who they are.
Going on a day trip, listening to music together and meeting their friends or parents can also help you get to know your loved one.
The study, by Hasbro Gaming, also found two in five believe you can really discover someone's personality by playing a game, with the contentious classic Monopoly most likely to bring out your other half’s hidden side.
It also emerged twenty per cent think you know your partner’s real personality after spending the first year together, though a more cautious one in seven believe five years is what’s needed before you can claim to truly know them.
(Image: iStock Editorial)
Commenting on the findings, Big Brother's former resident professor Geoff Beattie said: "It can take years to truly get to know your other half, and even then, there are certain parts of their personality they may never reveal to you.
"Still, after your first break away together, some quality time in the kitchen and a few heated games of Monopoly, you should be a little bit closer to truly understanding what makes your spouse tick.”
The study found 54 per cent believe a holiday together is the best way to learn everything about your partner, while 47 per cent think cooking a meal shows you everything you need to know.
Other activities which could help you to get to know your partner better include moving in with them, spending Christmas together and watching their favourite film.
Visiting each other's home towns, doing DIY together and going to the gym with them also made the list.
(Image: OJO Images RF)
Researchers also found that a third of people made more effort with their appearance to try and impress their other half in the early days, with one quarter also admitting they were more forgiving of their partner’s faults.
But just half think their partner is completely open with them about their own quirks and secrets, with more than one in 10 believing they still have a lot to learn about their other half.
Three in 10 even admit to keeping part of their personality a secret from their unsuspecting partner.
The study also revealed one in eight nervous dates played nice when meeting the in-laws for the first time, and 18 per cent laughed at more of their partner’s dire jokes in the beginning than they do now.
And while it’s relatively smooth sailing for a third of loved-up Brits, almost seven in 10 confess to disliking something about their partner’s personality.
(Image: OJO Images RF)
Of those who dislike their partner’s true colours, one in five thought moving in together revealed the unpalatable trait, and 10 per cent said their other half revealed an unattractive side to themselves when they were with their friends.
When pitted against each other across the Monopoly board, couples admitted to seeing a different side to their loved one.
One in eight said their other half was a stickler for the rules, while one in ten thought their spouse was prone to gloating when the odds were in their favour.
In fact, 18 per cent believed Monopoly brings out the ruthless side in their opposition.
This classic game is no stranger to bust-ups. Last Christmas there were over 2,000 calls to the dedicated Monopoly Hotline helping resolve disputes, after research found over half of games end in acrimony around rules and cheating.
Psychologist Geoff Beattie continued, “It’s really interesting to see how much couples believe they can learn about their partner’s personality from playing a game like Monopoly.
(Image: Hero Images)
"When people become engrossed in certain activities, including play, they monitor their own behaviour less and reveal hidden aspects of their personality.
"Couples and families were recorded playing Monopoly by Hasbro’s FunLab team, and eight personality types seemed to emerge when playing this often-cut-throat game.
"From the Crook and the Token Obsessed to the Sceptic and the Gloater, there are a number of different aspects of our personality that seem to appear once the board comes out.
“Monopoly is one of those games that can make the quietest and politest of people get quite emotionally charged.
"We saw plenty of couples walking in holding hands, but with things already starting to change as they picked their favourite token!”
To find out which Monopoly Personality you are, play the interactive quiz here .
Top activities to get to know your partner
Go on holiday together Cook a meal together Go on a day trip together Meet their friends Meet their parents Play a game together Watch a film together Move in together Spend Christmas together Listen to music together Visit each other’s home towns Go for a drive together Do DIY together Buy a home together Have an argument Start a family together Play a competitive sport together Take a dance class together Go to the gym together Buy a car together
(Image: iStock Unreleased)
Eight most common Monopoly personalities