'Happy wife, happy life': Decade-old stereotype dispelled by U of A research
A study completed by a researcher at the University of Alberta has found the old saying "happy wife, happy life" isn’t the key to a happy, healthy relationship.
“People just latched onto this idea and it’s become common belief,” Matthew Johnson, a U of A relationship researcher and lead author on the study, said in a news release.
“There’s still that thought or expectation that women have unique attention to the relational side of things,” he said.
The study used data from 10 Canadian, American and German studies that checked in with 901 mixed-gender couples daily for 21 days and 3,405 mixed-gender couples assessed each year for five years.
When asked about their relationships, men’s satisfaction levels were just as significant as those of their female partners when predicting their future happiness.
“The experience of both partners matters, regardless of gender,” said Johnson.
This study is the first to test the "happy wife, happy life" theory that emerged in the 1970s.
“Men and women have equal ability and, with that, the shared responsibility for directing the course of their relationship,” Johnson said.
He said it’s up to both partners to be responsible for the good and bad in a relationship.
“If what is happening in your relationship is good, double down on that so you can reap those rewards into the future,” said Johnson.
“If what’s happening is not what you’d hoped for in your life, make changes now, because if the relationship is struggling, it’s going to continue to struggle unless you act.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.