Women & Men & Relationships

Perhaps the most consistent finding concerning the state of marriage/relationships is its association with greater positive well-being and reduced negative outcomes for both men and women. The effects associated with marriage/relationships and positive well-being are happiness, life satisfaction, and the occurrence of positive as well as negative emotions (Bradburn, 1969; Gove, 1972)

Women’s greater involvement in marriage/relationships is apparent from findings that happiness with marriage/relationships is a more important predictor of global happiness for women than for men (Glenn, 1975; Glenn & Weaver, 1981; Gove et al., 1983).

Women’s top four rankings concerned aspects of their marriage/relationships are:

1. Being in love,
2. Marriage,
3. Partner’s happiness,
4. Sex life

Men’s top four rankings concerned aspects of their marriage/relationships are:

1. Personal growth,
2. Being in love,
3. Marriage,
4. Job or primary activity

 

Women’s description of marital relations and successful marriages/relationships:

1. Emotional security:
   • Affection,
   • Trust
   • Caring

Men’s description of marital relations and successful marriages/relationships:

1. Loyalty:
   • Commitment to the future

(Reedy, Birren, & Schaie, 1981).

People’s perceptions of life satisfaction are mostly in part due to comparisons that they make between what they have, what they want, what they used to have, and what others have. If this is true… is your relationship really what you want… a step to greater happiness and positive well-being?