Ask yourself he following questions, which marriage researcher John Gottman (Gottman & Silver, 2000; Kantowitz & Wingert, 1999) uses to gauge the strength of relationships, based on his assumption that in strong relationships, partners know each other well and share a deep understanding of the other’s life, feelings, thoughts, and perceptions.
- I can name my partner’s best friends.
- I can tell you what stresses my partner is currently facing.
- I know the names of some of the people who have been irritating my partner lately.
- I can tell you some of my partner’s life dreams.
- I can list the relatives my partner likes least.
- At the end of the day, my partner is glad to see me.
- My partner is one of my best friends.
- We just love to talk to each other.
- I feel that my partner knows me pretty well.
- My partner appreciates the things I do in this relationship
2. Gendered Personals Ads
Read personals ads that are posted on an online matching site such as match.com or eHarmony. Notice how members of each sex present themselves. For instance, do women describe their attractiveness more than men? Do men describe their financial security more than women?
