Beyond Love: The Science of Sustaining a Happy Marriage

Every day in June, the month most commonly associated with matrimonial bliss, approximately 13,000 American couples will exchange their vows, committing to lifelong relationships that promise a lifetime of companionship, joy, and love. Yet, despite the romantic promises made on this day, the statistics don't always pnt an optimistic picture. Out of all those who decide to marry, only about one-third manage to mntn happy, healthy marriages until the of their days. This reality is highlighted in Ty Tashiro's book, The Science of Happily Ever After, published recently.

In the decades following the 1970s, when the divorce rate was at an unprecedented high, social scientists began to explore marital relationships by observing them in real life. Concerned about the impact of fled marriages on their children, psychologists embarked on a mission to understand what makes for a long-lasting and fulfilling union. Was each fling marriage uniquely its own tragedy, as Tolstoy once suggested, or was there something universally detrimental that linked these miserable unions?

The quest began when scientists entered the fray by inviting couples into their labs to study them closely. The objective was to identify the essential components of healthy marriages that could lead individuals to live together harmoniously until their dying days.

Every day in June, one of the most popular wedding months of the year, approximately 13,000 American couples will make vows committing themselves to lifelong relationships filled with friship, joy, and love that are expected to accompany them throughout their life journey. Except it rarely works out as smoothly as one might expect. The majority of marriages fl either by dissolving into divorce or falling into a state of bitterness and dysfunction. Out of the total number of people getting married, only about one-third manage to mntn healthy and happy relationships until they pass away.

This fact is further supported by psychologist Ty Tashiro's book The Science of Happily Ever After, published earlier this year. In light of the widespread issue of divorce during the 1970sa crisis that saw unprecedented ratessocial scientists responded with a series of experiments med at understanding marital dynamics. The question on their minds was whether each unhappy family had its unique set of problems or if there were common factors affecting every fling marriage.

As social scientists first began observing marriages in action throughout the 1970s, they did so as an urgent response to a crisis: high divorce rates among married couples. Concerned about the impact these divorces would have on their children, psychologists cast their scientific inquiries onto unions themselves, hoping to uncover commonalities or unique flaws within each fling marriage.

So, what are the defining characteristics of a healthy relationship? According to Science, it seems that lasting relationships often come down to two fundamental principles: kindness and generosity.
This article is reproduced from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/happily-ever-after/372573/

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