SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Psychologist and professor John Gottman observes your methods of communication to predict whether you will get a divorce.
In a 1992 study, he predicted which couples would split with 93.6% accuracy.
Communication is the basis of The Four Horsemen, a metaphor for what he says are the most common reasons relationships end.
The Georgia Sun reports that Georgia’s divorce rate is higher than the national average, with the percentage divorced in 2022 at 11.2% and the national that year at 10.8%.
Criticism
Gottman defines criticism as an attack on your partner at the core of their personality. He explained the difference between a complaint and a criticism that attacks someone’s whole being.
For example:
- Complaint : “I was scared when you were running late and didn’t call me. I thought we had agreed that we would do that for each other.”
- Criticism: “You never think about how your behavior is affecting other people. I don’t believe you are that forgetful, you’re just selfish. You never think of others! You never think of me!”