researcher have found that , at least at first , it ’s tough to tell the difference between a prospicient - term and short - term family relationship . And there ’s an obvious perpetrator .

In the study , publish in theJournal of Experimental Psychology : General , the squad from the University of California , Davis , survey more than 800 masses over a range of years . They used a “ relationship reconstructive memory ” survey to get the participant to procreate bit in anterior relationships , right back to the beginning .

What theyfoundwas that in both long - terminus and little - terminus family relationship , romantic interestingness rose at a similar rate .   That imply at the commencement , the participants had interchangeable experiences regardless of how long the kinship lasted . So they all love the good time at first sight , so to speak .   " Short "   was used to refer to experiences   like a fling or a one - night stand , whereas " long " was a foresighted - terminal figure attached relationship .

But there came a point where it plateaued and declined in short - terminal figure relationship , while in long - terminus relationships the amatory sake continued to climb . This suggest that despite those initial feel , you might not know precisely where the human relationship is going to go .

" These initial impression did not powerfully predict how long the relationship would at last last , " Dr Paul Eastwick from the University of California , Davis , lead writer on the field , told IFLScience . " Generally mouth , romantic compatibility is very hard to assess until some time has extend . "

The squad note that some of the most interesting second in the relationship bechance before anything sexual had materialize , with hoi polloi marvel if the relationship would go anywhere or if they were really into the other person . But at a sure point , they start to deviate , with some relationship collapsing and others continuing .

So what do the split ? Well , the quality suspect looks like it ’s that erstwhile classic : sex . According to the study , if people hooked up and thought it was middling skilful , they ’d examine and turn that experience into a relationship . Those that were “ meh ” did n’t last very long .

If people were " just a minuscule " attracted to the other mortal , then they would keep having intimate relative , but not for long . recollective - terminal figure relationships , on the other hand , tend to be " especially exciting and sexy " . Their words , not mine .

" In many cases , the first sexual experience is a mark for whether people want to seek to keep the relationship blend or are content to let it peter out and/or become a very passing thing , " Dr Eastwick enounce .