Based on the results, it seems that stress has a certain way of getting people to notice negative behaviors In their partners more than positive behaviors.
“We found that individuals who reported experiencing more stressful life events outside their relationship, such as problems at work, were particularly likely to notice if their partner was behaving in an inconsiderate manner,” explains Neff in new version.
It should also be noted that the results did not indicate that simply having a bad day yielded these results, but rather that stress accumulated over time.
This means, if you know you’ve been stressed recently, you may want to prioritize recognizing when your stress moves to other areas of your life, noting when you might unnecessarily check up on your partner, and letting them know when you do. re feeling effects of stress.
“If stress focuses individuals’ attention on their partners’ more reckless behaviors, it is likely to have a negative effect on the relationship,” says Neff.
Going forward, she adds, researchers should look at how this study plays out in newly married couples. “But the fact that we found these effects in a sample of newlyweds speaks volumes about how stressful the effects are,” she adds.
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