A test has been designed by US scientists that aims to accurately predict whether a relationship will be a success.
Using a specially designed quiz, researchers correctly predicted whether more than 50 couples would still be together or have thrown in the towel over a 12 month period, the UK’sDaily Telegraphreported.
The test, carried out at the University of Rochester, used a survey and a word-association test with a time limit on 116 people, 19 of whom split from their partners within the year.
Unsurprisingly, those who associated negative words with their partners were seven times more likely to break up with their partners than those who associated positive words.
The skill of the test was to elicit these responses automatically without giving the respondents a chance to make a conscious choice.
The tests are a breakthrough because the results proved to be more accurate than the respondents’ own assumptions about the strength of their relationships.
“What really excited me in our results was that our measure seemed to do a better job of predicting outcomes than what the people told us about their relationships,” study author Professor Ronald Rogge said.
Earlier relationship studies had foundered as people aren’t good at reading their own feelings, let alone their partner’s.
“The difficulty with that is that it assumes that they know themselves how happy they are, and that’s not always the case,” Professor Rogge said.
“To make things worse, a lot of people don’t want to tell you if they’re starting to feel less happy in their relationship.”
The test is based on the same techniques used to determine racism, bias or any other feelings that people are unwilling to admit to, theDaily Telegraphreported.
“It really is giving us a unique glimpse into how people were feeling about their partners — giving us information that they were unable or unwilling to report,” Professor Rogge said.
There is no news on when the test will be available to the public.
