Happy relationship? Be positive and you’ll get the same back from your partner… We are more likely to notice good behaviour when we expect it, study finds
- People happier when they perceive partners strive to meet their needs – study
Whether it’s hanging up the washing or cleaning the bathroom, there are always things we wish our partner did more of.
Now a study has found that simply by expecting positive behaviour, we are more likely to notice it when it happens.
Conversely, those with low expectations of their other half fail to recognise when they really are making an effort.
‘People are happier in their relationships when they perceive their partners strive to meet their emotional, sexual and practical needs,’ researchers said.
‘Those who have established a reputation for doing a lot for their partner will be seen as performing many positive behaviours in the relationship… regardless of how much they actually do.’ The scientists studied 517 people who had been in a relationship for five years.
People who expect positive behaviour from their partners are more likely to notice it when it happens, a study has found (stock photo)
Meanwhile those who have lower expectations are less likely to recognise when their partner is trying to make an effort (stock photo)
They split them into two groups – one focused on positive behaviours, the other on negative actions.
A strong link was found between what was expected and what was noticed – those who expected to be treated well were more likely to think they were. The team from Western University in Ontario, Canada, also discovered that people who expected more from their partners noticed more positive behaviours than their partner reported carrying out.
Those who had the lowest expectations of their partner went on to underestimate how many times they made an effort. The findings are reported in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
