The Science Behind Relationship Compatibility

Dandine-Roulland C, Laurent R, Dall'Ara I, Toupance B and Chaix R (2019)

Genomic evidence for MHC disassortative mating in humans

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Couples in Northern Europe tend to exhibit MHC dissimilarity, suggesting biological influence on mate choice. Cultural and social factors elsewhere may obscure the biologically-driven pattern.

Birnbaum GE, Zholtack K, Mizrahi M & Ein-Dor T (2019)

The Bitter Pill: Cessation of Oral Contraceptives Enhances the Appeal of Alternative Mates

Evolutionary Psychological Science 5, 276–285

Hormonal contraceptives shift mate preferences. Stopping use reverts those preferences and enhances attraction to genetically compatible men, especially during high-fertility phases.

Wedekind C (2019)

A predicted interaction between odour pleasantness and intensity provides evidence for major histocompatibility complex social signalling in women

Proc. R. Soc. B 285:20172714

Re-analysis of MHC-and-odour data showing odour pleasantness and intensity interact with MHC dissimilarity to influence social signalling - a more nuanced relationship between MHC, scent perception, and communication than earlier studies suggested.

Henningsson S et al. (2017)

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and sexual mate selection

Translational Psychiatry 7:e1118

Systematic look at MHC and sexual selection in humans, evaluating the relationship between HLA genotype and partner choice across modern populations.

Christakis NA, Fowler JH (2014)

Friendship and natural selection

PNAS 111(suppl 3): 10796–10801

Friends share genetic similarity comparable to that of fourth cousins. Suggests social bonds form along subtle biological gradients, not only shared environment - relevant to how romantic compatibility extends beyond MHC.

Garver-Apgar CE, Gangestad SW, Thornhill R, Miller RD, Olp JJ (2006)

Major histocompatibility complex alleles, sexual responsivity, and unfaithfulness in romantic couples

Psychological Science 17:830-835

Couples with greater MHC similarity reported reduced sexual responsivity and higher rates of infidelity - direct behavioural correlate of MHC compatibility within established relationships.

Roberts SC, Gosling LM, Carter V, Petrie M (2006)

MHC-correlated odour preferences in humans and the use of oral contraceptives

Proc. R. Soc. B 275:2715-2722

Women's MHC-correlated odour preferences invert when on hormonal contraceptives - they shift toward MHC-similar partners rather than MHC-dissimilar ones.

Wedekind C, Furi S (1997)

Body odour preferences in men and women: do they aim for specific MHC combinations or general heterozygosity?

Proc. R. Soc. B 264:1471-1479

Follow-up to the classic t-shirt study. Men and women evaluated odour samples from MHC-typed donors; preferences fell on MHC-dissimilar partners more often than chance - but the underlying signal favours heterozygosity rather than specific allele combinations.

Wu K, Chen C, Moyzis RK, Nuno M, Yu Z and Greenberger E (2018)

More than skin deep: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-based attraction among Asian American speed-daters

Evolution and Human Behavior. 39(4):447-456.

In a speed-dating context, women, but not men, showed preferences for partners based on Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) complementarity through SNP analysis, with different SNPs influencing attraction directionally based on proximity to major HLA genes, and MHC-based indices held comparable influence to self-reported personality attributes in predicting second date offers for both genders.

This study investigated the influence of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes and testosterone levels on female horse mating preferences, finding that mares demonstrated elevated interest towards MHC-dissimilar stallions during their diestrous phase (non-reproductive period), but other non-MHC linked male characteristics, possibly like physical attributes or behavioral cues, could override MHC influences during their estrous (reproductive) phase, with the context and cycle phase being pivotal in mate choice.

Sherlock JM, Sidari MJ, Harris EA, Barlow FK, Zietsch BP (2016)

Testing the mate-choice hypothesis of the female orgasm: disentangling traits and behaviours .

Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 6:31562.

The study suggests that women experience varying orgasm frequencies with different partners, with those inducing higher orgasm rates being perceived as more humorous, creative, warm, faithful, and better-smelling, and also being more attentive to their partner's sexual satisfaction, partially supporting the mate-choice hypothesis of female orgasm which posits it as a potential mechanism for selecting high-quality mates.

Kromer J, Hummel T, Pietrowski D, Giani AS, Sauter J, Ehninger G, Schmidt AH, Croy I (2016)

Influence of HLA on human partnership and sexual satisfaction .

Sci Rep. 6:32550.

The study indicates that in humans, HLA (a genetic component of the immune system) dissimilarity can influence mate selection and sexual satisfaction, potentially through the detection of olfactory cues related to genetic compatibility, similarly to mechanisms observed in other animals, promoting genetic diversity and resilience against pathogens in offspring.

Wlodarski R. and Dunbar RIM. (2015)

What’s in a Kiss? The Effect of Romantic Kissing on Mate Desirability .

Evol Psychol. ; 12(1): 178–199.

This study found that perceived romantic kissing ability affects evaluations of potential mates, increasing desirability particularly for women in casual sex contexts, and while visual cues can override the impact of kissing-related information in certain mating scenarios, the influence of attractive visual information appears more potent for men than for women, alluding to the multifaceted role of kissing in conveying mate quality and desirability alongside other cues.

This study examines how the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) influences male reproductive strategies in horses. The research revealed that when stallions were exposed to females with dissimilar MHC types, they exhibited higher testosterone levels and produced a larger number of sperm per ejaculate compared to when they were exposed to MHC-similar mares, highlighting that MHC-linked signals can indeed impact male testosterone production and semen characteristics, thereby influencing reproductive approaches.

Laurent R and Chaix R (2012)

MHC-dependent mate choice in humans: Why genomic patterns from the HapMap European American dataset support the hypothesis

BioEssays. 34(4):267-71.

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Lie HC, Simmons LH and Rhodes G (2010)

Genetic dissimilarity, genetic diversity, and mate preferences in humans .

Evolution and Human Behavior 31:8–58.

This study explores the influence of genetic factors, particularly the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), on mate preferences in humans, discovering that males tend to prefer MHC-dissimilar females in both short-term and long-term mating contexts, while genetic diversity impacts both male and female partner preferences across different mating contexts, thus supporting a significant role for the MHC in human mate selection and suggesting that these preferences might function to enhance genetic diversity in offspring.

Lie HC, Rhodes G and Simmons LH (2010)

Is genetic diversity associated with mating success in humans ?

Animal Behaviour. 79, 4:903-909

This study indicates that in humans, particularly females, genetic diversity, especially within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is associated with greater mating success, measured by the number of sexual partners, supporting the concept that genetic factors, potentially related to immune system functioning, play a role in human mating success, while no significant association was found in males.

Chaix R, Cao C, and Donnelly P (2008)

Is Mate Choice in Humans MHC-Dependent ?

PLOS Genetics, 4 (9)

The study indicates that while European American populations may prefer MHC-dissimilar mates, selecting for diversity in offspring's immune systems, such a pattern is not found in the examined African population, suggesting MHC's influence on mate choice can be context-dependent and potentially shaped by various factors.

Schwensow N, Fietz J, Dausmann K, Sommer S (2008)

MHC-associated mating strategies and the importance of overall genetic diversity in an obligate pair-living primate .

Evol Ecol. (22) 617-636

The study explores mate choice in the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, finding females prefer males with greater MHC-genetic diversity and lower MHC overlap as both social and genetic fathers, while overall genetic heterozygosity and relatedness do not significantly influence mate selection; extra-pair matings might occur to mitigate genetic incompatibility, highlighting a complex interplay of "good-genes-as-heterozygosity" and "disassortative mating" hypotheses in primate mating strategies.

Wedekind C (2007)

The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Perfumers’ Descriptions of Human Body Odors

Evolutionary Psychology.5(2): 330-343

This experiment reveals a connection between the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and the verbal descriptions of human body odors, demonstrating that professional perfumers can, to some extent, articulate MHC-correlated body odor components, underscoring the MHC's influence on human olfactory perception and possibly, mate selection, given the MHC's critical role in immune system functioning and previously noted impact on body odor and mate choice.

Wedekind C (2006)

The Intensity of Human Body Odors and the MHC: Should We Expect A Link ?

Evolutionary Psychology. 4:85-94

This research discerns relationships between a few MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) genes and the intensity and pleasantness of men's body odors, discovering that men with at least one homozygous MHC antigen don't emit notably more intense odors than heterozygotes, yet their scents are perceived as significantly stronger by women with dissimilar MHC.

Pause BM, Krauel K, Schrader C, Sojka B, Westphal E, Mu¨ller-Ruchholtz W, and Ferstl R. (2006)

The human brain is a detector of chemosensorily transmitted HLA-class I-similarity in same- and opposite-sex relations

Proc. R. Soc. B (2006) 273, 471–478 doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3342

This study reveals that humans subconsciously detect and respond to body odors from individuals with similar HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) genetic markers, which might play a critical role in social interactions and mate selection by acting as subtle social signals within both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships..

Martins Y, Preti G, Crabtree CR, Runyan T, Vainius AA and Wysocki CJ (2005)

Preference for Human Body Odors Is Influenced by Gender and Sexual Orientation .

Psychological Science, 16(9) 694-702

This study demonstrates that sexual orientation and gender influence individuals' preferences for human body odors, with heterosexual and homosexual males and females showcasing distinct two-choice preferences when presented with body odors from individuals of different gender and sexual orientation combinations, implying that body odor can be a factor in sexual and social partner selection.

Horton R, Wilming L, Rand V, Lovering RC, Bruford EA, Khodiyar VK, Lush MJ, Povey S, Talbot CC Jr, Wright MW, Wain HM, Trowsdale J, Ziegler A, Beck S (2004)

Gene map of the extended human MHC.

Nat Rev Genet 5(12):889-899

This study characterises an integrated gene map of the extended human MHC, a pivotal region in the vertebrate genome for infection and autoimmunity due to its essential role in both adaptive and innate immunity, highlighting its significant content related to paralogy, polymorphism, immune functionality, and its association with various diseases, providing a comprehensive view stemming from the assimilation of data from several large-scale studies..

Jacob S, McClitock MK, Zelano B and Ober C (2002)

Paternally inherited HLA alleles are associated with woman’s choice of male odour .

Nature Genetics, 30:175

This study demonstrates that women can discern differences in male body odor influenced by a single variance in HLA (human MHC) allele, with a woman's capacity to distinguish and prefer certain odors notably being based on HLA alleles inherited from her father and not her mother; this suggests that paternally inherited HLA-associated odors influence odor preference and might function as social cues, even despite a milieu of potential odors derived from a variety of genetic and cultural factors..

Milinski M and Wedekind C (2001)

Evidence for MHC-correlated perfume preference in humans .

Behavioural Ecology 12(2):140-149

The study explores the relationship between Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genotypes and perfume preferences in humans. They discovered a notable correlation between an individual's MHC (specifically HLA-A, -B, -DR) and their ratings of various scents for personal use, with certain HLA types (e.g., HLA-A2) showing consistent scent preferences. However, when it came to preferences for a partner's scent, the correlation was largely insignificant, aligning with the hypothesis that individuals select perfumes for personal use to possibly enhance or amplify their own immunogenetic revealing body odors, rather than to alter the perceived scents of their partners.

Wedekind C, Seebeck T, Bettens F And Paepke AJ (1995)

MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans.

Proc.R.Soc.Lond.B. 260:245-249.

This study found that people tend to prefer the body odors of potential mates who have different immune system genes than their own, but this preference changes for women on birth control.

Jokiniemi A, Magris M, Ritari J, Kuusipalo L, Lundgren T, Partanen J and Kekäläinen J (2020) Post-copulatory genetic matchmaking: HLA-dependent effects of cervical mucus on human sperm function Proc Biol Sci., doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1682. Epub 2020 Aug 19.

* found that sperm viability was associated with partners' HLA dissimilarity, indicating that cervical mucus may selectively facilitate later gamete fusion between immunogenetically compatible partners .

Mosaad YM, Abdel-Dayem Y, El-Deek BS and El-Sherbini SM (2011) Association between HLA-E *0101 homozygosity and recurrent miscarriage in Egyptian women . Scand J Immunol. 2011 Aug;74(2):205-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2011.02559.x.

* found an increased frequency of homozygosity for HLA-E*0101 in Egyptian women with RM

Mora-Sánchez A, Aguilar-Salvador D, Nowak I (2019) Towards a gamete matching platform: using immunogenetics and artificial intelligence to predict recurrent miscarriage NPJ Digit Med Mar 7;2:12. doi: 10.1038/s41746-019-0089-x

* proposed a genetic-risk calculation that could predict recurrent miscarriage (RM) based on analysing HLA haplotypes from couples either with histories of successful pregnancies or RM .

Meuleman T, Lashley LE, Dekkers OM, van Lith J, Claas FH and Bloemenkamp KW (2015) HLA associations and HLA sharing in recurrent miscarriage: A systematic review and meta-analysis Hum Immunol. May;76(5):362-73. doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2015.02.004.

* performed a meta-analyses of 41 studies and showed that HLA-B sharing and HLA-DR sharing were both associated with the occurrence of RM .

Shankarkumar U, Pawar A, Gaonkar P, Parasannavar D, Salvi V, and Ghosh K (2008) HLA allele associations in idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion patients from India J Hum Reprod Sci. 2008 Jan;1(1):19-24. doi: 10.4103/0974-1208.39592.

* identified differential association of alleles in HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-DRB1 when compared with reported world RSA patients .

Ober C (1999) Studies of HLA, fertility and mate choice in a human isolate . Hum Reprod Update 5(2):103-107.

* describe the relationship between HLA similarity at individual alleles, as well as HLA haplotypes as indicators for increased risk of fetal loss among Hutterite couples .

Ober C, Hyslop T, Elias S, Weitkamp LR, Hauck WW (1998) Human leukocyte antigen matching and fetal loss: results of a 10 year prospective study Human Reproduction, Volume 13, Issue 1, Jan 1998, Pages 33–38

* results of a 10 year study that demonstrated increased fetal loss rates among Hutterite couples matching for HLA antigens .

Ober., Steck., Ven., Billstrand., Messer., Kwak., Beaman., Beer (1993) MHC class II compatibility in aborted fetuses and term infants of couples with recurrent spontaneous abortion Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Volume 25, Issue 3, December 1993, Pages 195-207

* demonstrated increased rates of recurrent spontaneous abortion among Hutterite couples matching for HLA-DQA1 alleles

Lok C (2012)

Career development: What's your type ?

Nature, 488: 545-547

* The article highlights the utilization of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and similar personality tests in assisting scientists to enhance their soft skills and navigate their careers by providing insights into their personality traits, which can inform their communication, leadership, and teamwork strategies within professional environments.

Keirsey, D (2006)

Please Understand Me II (3rd ed) .

Promethius Nemesis Book Co., Del Mar, CA.

Please Understand Me is a psychology book by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates that employs a self-assessed questionnaire, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, to categorize individuals into one of sixteen personality types and four broader temperament types (Artisan, Guardian, Rational, and Idealist), offering readers insights into their behavioral patterns and fundamental values, while drawing upon and simplifying previous psychological theories and type indicators, notably the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Moutafi J, Furnham A, and Crump J (2003)

Demographic and personality predictors of intelligence: A study using the Neo Personality Inventory and the Myers-Briggs type indicator .

European Journal of Personality, 17:79-94

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Myers IB, McCaulley MH, Quenk NL and Hammer AL (1998)

MBTI manual: A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator .

Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA, Vol. 3.

The MBTI® Manual, third edition, serves as a comprehensive guide, detailing the development, application, and interpretation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument, providing in-depth information about the theory, reliability, and validity of the tool, and offering insights into the 16 personality types it identifies, all authored by leading experts in psychological type, Isabel Briggs Myers, Mary H. McCaulley, Naomi L. Quenk, and Allen L. Hammer.

Myers IB, McCaulley MH and Most R (1985)

Manual, a guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs type indicator.

Consulting Psychologists Press.

The 1985 edition, 'Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,' introduces and elucidates the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®), designed to render C. G. Jung's psychological type theory comprehensible and applicable in daily life, underlining the principle that behavioral variations, while seemingly sporadic, are consistently orderly, deriving from intrinsic differences in individuals’ preferred use of perception and judgment.

Myers IB (1962)

Manual, a guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs type indicator.

Consulting Psychologists Press .

The 1962 manual for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator provides comprehensive insights and guidelines for implementing C. Jung’s theory of psychological types, asserting that behavioral variations are systematic and consistent due to basic perceptual and judgmental preferences, aiming to leverage these preferences through self-reports to ascertain individual psychological types, thereby enabling the practical application and research into their effects on reactions, motivations, values, and capabilities.

Jung CG (1923)

Psychological types: or the psychology of individuation

Oxford, England: Harcourt, Brace .

Psychological Types by Carl Gustav Jung, first published in 1923, introduces the seminal psychological theory of psychological types, presenting a framework that seeks to explain the diverse and seemingly random differences in personality through a systematic and orderly theory, proposing that fundamental variations in human behavior arise due to inherent differences in how individuals prefer to utilize their cognitive functions of perception and judgment, laying the groundwork for numerous personality theories and assessments to come, notably the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).