Research and science supports the notion that people bring emotional "baggage" into relationships

Early Social Experiences Can Influence Adult Behavior In Romantic Relationships

According to a study reported in the recent issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the way that adults think, feel, and behave in their romantic relationships is "a direct result of their past relationships and personal attachment extending all the way back to childhood." In layman's terms, emotional baggage.

Researchers used a longitudinal study (spanning over 25 years) to verify what any socially experienced man or woman knows, people bring past baggage into new relationships.

The findings of this study supported previous attachment theories. Expression of emotions in adult romantic relationships can be related back to a person’s attachment experiences during earlier social development. Those participants who were secure and attached as infants were rated with higher social competence as children. Children who were socially competent amongst peers were found to be more secure and closer to their friends at age 16. Participants who were closer to friends as a teen were more expressive and emotionally attached to their romantic partners in early adulthood.

In other words, the hope that an individual will change their behavior in a new relationship is possibly wishful thinking. Unlike a stock or a mutual fund, past performance is in fact a good indicator of future behavior. This does not mean that an individual’s past unalterably determines the future course of his/her relationships but it certainly can operate as a red flag during courtship.

During those early dates it might be a good idea to slip questions like, "Tell me about your previous relationships" into the conversation.