India, Oct. 9 -- Let's face it - most breakups don't end with coffee dates and casual check-ins. Yet, some people seem to effortlessly stay friends with their exes. While that might sound mature or emotionally evolved, research suggests there could be deeper - and darker - motivations at play.

A study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences by psychologists Justin K. Mogilski and Lisa L.M. Welling from Oakland University examined the personalities of 861 participants to understand why some individuals stay in touch with former partners through two studies - one concerning 348 candidates who were asked to nominate reasons for why they might remain friends with an ex-partner; and the other concerning 513 candidates,...