-
Put your partner on a pedestal? You might have a happier marriage
The Globe and Mail: You’re perfect, honey. People who idealize their romantic partners are happier in the long run than those who see them as they really are, according to a new study being published in April in the journal Psychological Science. Those who were “unrealistically idealistic” about their partners when they wed were more satisfied with their marriage three years later compared with their less optimistic counterparts. Read the whole story: The Globe and Mail
-
Mate Idealization Makes for Happy Early Marriage
Scientific American: They say that love is blind. And that’s probably for the best. Because a new study shows that people who greatly idealize their spouses have the happiest marriages. For the first few years, anyway. The research appears in the journal Psychological Science. [Sandra Murray et al., "Tempting Fate or Inviting Happiness?: Unrealistic Idealization Prevents the Decline of Marital Satisfaction,"] Read the whole story: Scientific American
-
How to tend a marriage
The Philadelphia Inquirer: As spring approaches, our thoughts turn to planting seeds, tending beds, and trimming weeds. The process requires constant attention and can be grueling at times, but if we stick with it, our efforts will surely blossom. It turns out that what's good for your garden is good for your marriage. Read the whole story: The Philadelphia Inquirer
-
The Bottom Line of Raising Kids: Parents Rationalize the Economic Cost of Children by Exaggerating Their Parental Joy
Any parent can tell you that raising a child is emotionally and intellectually draining. Despite their tales of professional sacrifice, financial hardship, and declines in marital satisfaction, many parents continue to insist that their children are an essential source of happiness and fulfillment in their lives. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that parents create rosy pictures of parental joy as a way to justify the huge investment that kids require.
-
Natalie Portman, Oscar Winner, Was Also a Precocious Scientist
The New York Times: The Intel Science Talent Search is considered the nation’s most elite and demanding high school research competition, attracting the crème de la milk-fats-encased-in-a-phospholipid-and-protein-membrane of aspiring young scientists. Victors and near-victors in the 69-year-old contest have gone on to win seven Nobel Prizes in physics or chemistry, two Fields Medals in mathematics, a half-dozen National Medals in science and technology, a long string of MacArthur Foundation “genius” grants — and now, an Academy Award for best actress in a leading role. Read the whole story: The New York Times
-
The Partner Paradox: ‘Outsourcing’ Self-discipline
My wife and I go to spinning class a couple mornings a week. It’s something we like to do together, and I feel like I benefit from having a regular workout partner. Some days I’m just lazy, or I don’t want to venture out in the pre-dawn cold, but having a supportive partner motivates me. She bolsters my self-discipline when it flags. Or does she? Is it possible that having a supportive partner might have the opposite and paradoxical effect, actually undermining effort and commitment to health and fitness goals over the long haul?
