Whether you're single, dating, or been married for years, there are thousands of statistics thrown around each day that can be a total buzzkill. You've likely heard that 50% of all marriages end in divorce — but do they really?
In his latest video, Bite Size Psych breaks down four of the most misleading relationship statistics, and what he finds will completely blow your mind. His research will change the way you view relationships. So what is the secret to a happy marriage?
1. The Divorce Stat Is Misleading: Half of marriages will not end in divorce. When the national average is broken down into various demographics (income, age, race), there are startlingly different divorce rates. According to research at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, the age you get married plays a role in the average length of your marriage: 81% of college graduates who got hitched at age 26 or older were still married 20 years later, whereas only 65% of college grads who said "I do" before their 26th birthday made it that far.
2. Opposites Do Not Attract: People with different interests tend to break up sooner than those with similar backgrounds and belief systems. The traits that may have seemed different and exciting in the beginning stages of the relationship will actually become annoying and cause strife long-term.
3. The Pill Affects Your Relationships: One study examined relationship quality and survival between women who were using or not using oral contraception when they chose the partner who fathered their first child. Women who used oral contraception scored lower on measures of sexual satisfaction and partner attraction, experienced increasing sexual dissatisfaction during the relationship, and were more likely to be the one to initiate an eventual separation if it occurred. However, the same women were more satisfied with their partner's paternal provision, and thus had longer relationships and were less likely to separate.
4. Explaining Why You Love Someone Will Most Likely Lead To A Breakup: Participants in an experiment were either asked, "How much do you like your partner?" or "Why do you like your partner?" The group who answered the latter question began to question their relationship on a superficial level, completely ignoring the subconscious reasons they truly loved their partner. Why? Love is complex and can't be fully expressed in words. These partners were more likely to break up within the next 18 months.
This video definitely gives you a whole new perspective on relationships. What do you think about these facts? Tell us, and please SHARE this story.
