- Women concentrate more when competing against strangers than against their partner
- Still, they are more likely to win when playing against their partner
Whether it’s a game of Jenga or a round of mini-golf, many dates are all about competition.
Now a study has found that the old saying “happy wife, happy life” actually holds true when it comes to these competitions.
Scientists at the North China University of Science and Technology found that women concentrate more than their romantic partner when competing with strangers.
Still, they are more likely to win when playing against their partner.
“Their male partners may adopt a ‘happy wife, happy life’ mentality and avoid potential relationship conflicts by allowing their spouse to win,” said Shuyu Jia, lead author of the study.
Whether it’s a game of Jenga or a round of mini-golf, many dates are all about competition. Now a study has shown that the old saying “happy wife, happy life” actually applies to these competitions (archive image)
In the study, the team wanted to examine how romantic relationships influence women’s competitiveness.
“Competition, an essential part of social interaction, occurs frequently in daily life, and the effects of intimate relationships on female competition are not yet known,” the team explained in their study published in Neuroscience.
Researchers recruited 52 female participants aged 18 to 25 who were tasked with completing a visual cueing task in which they competed against a partner to respond to stimuli as quickly as possible.
The participants were divided into two groups, with the first group competing against their romantic partner and the second group competing against strangers.
During the competition, the participants’ brain activity was monitored via EEG.
The results showed that women showed greater concentration when competing against strangers of the opposite sex than when competing against their partner.
Scientists found that women concentrate more than their romantic partner when competing with strangers. Still, they are more likely to win when playing against their partner. In the picture: The percentage of cases won (PWT) against partners (black) and strangers (gray)
Meanwhile, women’s focus and willingness to compete decreased when they were with their romantic partner.
Still, they were more likely to win against their partner.
The researchers say this is an example of “mate bonding behavior” in men.
“Women had a higher winning rate when competing with their romantic partners, which may be due to men using spousal retention strategies to maintain their romantic relationships when competing with their romantic partners to prevent the partners from leaving or from others “Competitors are poached,” the team added in the study.
The news comes shortly after research revealed that couples who manage their finances together may love each other longer.
A study found that married couples with shared bank accounts not only have better relationships, but they also argue less about money and feel better about managing household finances.
When to break up with your partner
Kale Monk, assistant professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Missouri, says on-off relationships are linked to higher rates of abuse, poorer communication and lower commitment.
People in such relationships should make informed decisions about whether to stay together once and for all or end their relationship.
Here are his top five tips for figuring out if it’s the right time to end your relationship –
1. When partners are thinking about rekindling a relationship that has ended or avoiding future breakups, they should think about the reasons for the breakup to determine whether ongoing or persistent problems are affecting the relationship.
2. It can be helpful to have explicit conversations about issues that led to breakups, especially if the issues are likely to reoccur. However, if relationship violence has ever occurred, or if discussing relationship problems can lead to safety concerns, you should consider seeking support services when it is safe to do so.
3. Similar to thinking about the reasons why the relationship ended, take time to think about why reconciliation might be an option. Is the reason due to commitment and positive feelings or is it more about obligations and convenience? The latter reasons are more likely to lead to ongoing distress.
4. Remember that it’s okay to end a toxic relationship. For example, if your relationship is beyond repair, you should not feel guilty about your mental or physical well-being if you leave the relationship.
5. Couples therapy or relationship counseling is not just for partners who are about to divorce. Happy dating and married couples can also benefit from a “relationship check” to strengthen the bond between partners and receive additional support in dealing with relationship transitions.
Happy wife, happy life! According to a study, men let their partners win competitions to maintain a happy marriage