A further study carried out by the same professors asked 167 couples how long theyd known one another before becoming romantically involved and whether they were friends first. They found that, on average, the couples had known each other four months before dating. Plus, 40 per cent of them were friends beforehand.

Can friendships turn into relationships?

Because friendship, it turns out, can make or break a romantic relationship. This is not unexpected: Most people would identify friendship as a feature of long-term love, but a recent scientific study demonstrates how valuing friendship may improve ones relationship quality.

Should I date him or stay friends?

The best way to tell if you are better off as friends is [asking yourself] how much you respect their values, life coach Kali Rogers tells Bustle. As Rogers puts it, If you love being around someone but dont necessarily see eye to eye on things that are pretty important to you, its best to stay friends.