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Just a few years after marriage, women would begin to tire of their partners. How to explain such a phenomenon ? Researchers have investigated the subject.
According to a new study, the romantic feelings of married women fade more quickly than those of men. Surprising results, published in the journal Psychological Science.
After 3 years of marriage, romantic feelings are in “free fall”
For this study, Dr. Saurabh Bhargava, professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and his team observed the emotions and feelings of 3,900 heterosexual adults in varying marital relationships – ranging from recently “engaged” to “long-married.” years”.
Participants were asked to report who their life partner was and how they felt being around them. Ten days after this first data collection, a longer questionnaire was assigned to them; relating to the nature and objective of this relationship between two people.
However, scientists have noticed that women are much more likely to see their romantic feelings fade.
Those married or engaged for more than three years reported romantic feelings much less frequently (-55%) than those who had been in a relationship for a short time.
According to the researchers, if women saw this “love state” disappear more easily; This is because they would be more infatuated with their partner at the start of the relationship, which would encourage them to fall out of love more.
The other big killer of women’s love? Managing daily family life (housework, shopping, etc.) and seeing the other not participate in it.
The study found that men who had been married or engaged for a long time spent more time relaxing, sleeping or taking a nap.
Make oneself desired
Despite everything, it would still be possible to rekindle the flame in a couple, researchers believe. And this, by simply marking… an absence.
Separating from each other for a few hours actually made couples more affectionate.
“When couples reunited after about eight hours of separation, romantic feelings returned, on average“, reveals the study.
Finally, balance seems to return after about seven years of marriage.
Women and men were then about equally “in love” and each said they enjoyed the other’s company.