Emotional compatibility is essentially that "when you know, you know" sensation of feeling secure and at home with your spouse. However, just because you don't have it right away doesn't imply you won't have it later. Compromise and ultimate comfort, like with other relationship issues, can require time and work. However, if you feel like you can trust each other then it should be easy to see how emotional compatibility plays a role in any marriage. The more you know about your spouse, the better able you will be to understand their needs and desires. If you find that you are not emotionally compatible with someone, do yourself and your marriage a favor by avoiding this person like the plague. There are several factors that go into determining emotional compatibility. Some examples include: similarities in values and beliefs, feelings toward past relationships, likes and dislikes, etc. The more you know about your spouse, the better able you will be to understand them and their needs. It is also helpful if they are willing to share more about themselves so you can better understand them. Once you have established that there is enough common ground between you to make building a strong marriage possible, then you can begin looking at ways to improve it. For example, if one of you is wanting something more out of life while the other is still working at a dead-end job, this could become an issue that could threaten the survival of your marriage.