Has your relationship been a roller coaster ride during the pandemic? Well, you are not alone because many couples had ups and downs. However, research shows that couples who blamed the pandemic for their problems stayed happier with their partner.
Here is everything you need to know about the study.
What Research Says
The research was published in the journal of Social Psychology and Personality Science. It showed that when the couples blamed the pandemic, they were happier with their partners. One of the co-authors said that it might be because not all stress is equal.
When the pandemic took over, everyone was stressed out as lives changed. Couples were feeling more anxious, and tensions escalated between them. However, because of this pandemic, couples stopped blaming each other for their problems.
Instead, couples knew the pandemic was creating these anxieties, so they started blaming COVID-19. The shift of blame caused them to become happier with their partners as the blame game switched.
How The Research Took Place
You might be wondering how this research was done, so keep reading. The study researchers asked two hundred people to complete a survey each night before they went to sleep. Here are a few things the survey assessed:
- The stress level of the participants
- What the participants attributed their stress to
- A record of interactions and attitudes towards their partners
Once the study was done, the results revealed that relationships suffered when participants were stressed out. However, the impact of these stressors was canceled out because the pandemic was blamed, which is why couples stayed happier.
One reason for the result is that life-threatening situations bring people closer to each other. That is because people start appreciating their partners and understand their importance in the face of calamities.
How Long The Results Lasted
The most surprising part about this study was that the results lasted for months after the initial research. The survey was repeated a few months later, and even then, people blamed the pandemic more than their partners. Because of this, they were more satisfied in their relationship.
The authors of the study thought that over time people would be more stressed, and it would affect their relationship. However, that was not the case as people still blamed the pandemic for the problems and continued to enrich their relationships with their partners.
Final Words
That was your complete guide to how one study determined the effects of a pandemic on relationships. If you are in a relationship, did you also notice this change, and are you more satisfied with your partner now? If that is the case with you, then you know the study was correct.
Sometimes calamities have a way of bringing people closer. It reminds us that nothing matters except the connections we have with other people at the end of the day. So, the key to happiness is to stop blaming each other and appreciate your partner more instead.