Study Shows Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fans Make For Better Romantic Partners, HP & GOT Fans Rejoice!

Science fiction and fantasy movies and books usually rely on fueling their stories with everything that doesn’t exist in reality. From dragons and elves to magic and alternate realities, you get everything in those genres. However, that doesn’t mean that those tales have no real-world connections. There’s love, jealousy, anger, determination, passion and a plethora of emotions that keeps the audience engaged despite its ludicrous nature. And if you did read or watch them, turns out, you can be a great romantic partner.

According to Pacific Standard, a recent study shows that people who’re fans of sci-fi and fantasy stories are much likely to make for better lovers. One of the researchers said that.

“Individuals who scored higher for exposure to science fiction/fantasy were less likely to endorse four unrealistic relationship beliefs. Romance is not the only written fiction genre to be associated with real-world beliefs about romantic relationships.”

The study published in the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, shows that 404 adult participants were asked to identify with authors. The genres in question were fantasy, science fiction, suspense, horror, romance, classics and contemporary literary fiction.

As per the study, the participants had to respond to a series of unrealistic relationship beliefs. For example, disagreement is destructive, mindreading is expected, romantic partners cannot change, the sexes are different; and the expectation of sexual perfection. And the results were surprising.

“Science fiction/fantasy readers were less likely to support the belief that disagreement is destructive, as well as the belief that partners cannot change, the belief that sexes are different, and the belief that mindreading is expected in relationships.”

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger weren’t a couple until the last story (‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’) and they had many, many disagreements prior to that. Still, they ended up marrying each other. Another example’s that of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, who were at each other’s throats. And yet, they put their disagreements aside for the greater good. So, it’s possible readers and fans are emulating that in real life as well.

According to philosopher Joseph Campbell, we’re always telling the stories again and again. We’re only changing the medium/genre to make them sound more interesting. And since science-ficiton/fantasy are very engaging, people are getting progressive values in a beautiful wrapping, which otherwise would’ve been tougher to digest. Which means, that if you’ll be a great romantic partner and probably end up marrying your love.

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