sign up for the momlogic newsletter

Smiles Predict Marriage Success

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

LiveScience: If you want to know whether your marriage will survive, look at your spouse's yearbook photos.

smiledivorce270.jpg
Psychologists have found that how much people smile in old photographs can predict their later success in marriage.

In one test, the researchers looked at people's college yearbook photos, and rated their smile intensity from 1 to 10. None of the people who fell within the top 10 percent of smile strength had divorced, while within the bottom 10 percent of smilers, almost one in four had had a marriage that ended, the researchers say. (Scoring was based on the stretch in two muscles: one that pulls up on the mouth, and one that creates wrinkles around the eyes.)

In a second trial, the research team asked people over age 65 to provide photos from their childhood (the average age in the pictures was 10 years old). The researchers scored each person's smile, and found that only 11 percent of the biggest smilers had been divorced, while 31 percent of the frowners had experienced a broken marriage.

Overall, the results indicate that people who frown in photos are five times more likely to get a divorce than people who smile.

While the connection is striking, the researchers stress that they can't conclude anything about the cause of the correlation.

Read more hot stories Moms Are Talking About.



previous: Dominos Staff Sacked for Vile Food Video
next: Moms Gone Wild for Kate Gosselin

No comments yet | Post a comment now >>

(not displayed)
  remember me?      
 

Avoid clicking “Post” more than once.

experts resources bloggers staff
follow us on twitter resource guides follow us on twitter staff
newsletter videos games twitter
newsletter sign up video gallery Momlogic games follow us on twitter
advertisement

WIN IT! This new game has some serious bite!
Enter Here
advertisement

WIN IT! This new game has some serious bite!

enter here

Join the Momlogic community!

 

momlogic community logo

 

Sign Up
Login
Enter without joining

 
coupons       More special offers     momsview coupons  

Maclaren Stroller Recall

find out more