Go ahead and continue fighting with you brother, but you may want to give your sis a call this afternoon to say thanks for your top notch lady-killer skills. Better yet, pick out one (or two) of these awesome holiday gifts to give your sister and send it to her early. Here’s why: A new study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that teens who have good rapport with their opposite-sex siblings have higher “romantic competency in their relationships.” In other words, guys, getting along well with your sister means you’re more likely to feel confident on the dating scene.
Researchers from Penn State University interviewed 373 young adults (ages 12-20) in their homes each year for five total years. The researchers asked the subjects questions to find out how confident they are in the company of the opposite sex—like whether the guys thought women found them attractive, fun, and interesting.
The researchers said that “having an opposite-sex sibling provides natural opportunities to practice relating to the opposite sex and learn important social skills that can be applied in other relationships, such as conflict resolution and emotional control,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
What’s more, opposite-sex siblings who are super-close—they share secrets and discuss how they’re feeling, for example—are even better off. So while you have your sister on the phone, go ahead and share something that’s been on your mind. Even though this study was done on teens, that doesn’t mean you can’t try to reap the rewards later in life.
