The best part of this article ( although not really anything we didn't already know) was how it's ok to be an individual while being married.

Once you lose yourself in a marriage...no matter how good the other spouse may be; you lose your desire to be a partner.

Happy Wife, Happy Life...

ummmm......duh

Yes and double duh, I hope this study wasn't paid for by a grant. What a surprise these results were.

Duuuhh! A study was needed to determine this?!? The happiest people I have known have had little in the way of material things, but always had each other for love & support.

Married for 10 years, but a couple for the last 14 years. that is correct. if one is up and the other is down, happiness or sadness could prevail, it just depends on the scope of the issue at the time. And the big question is, would one be happier being alone. I think maybe yes, depending on the person. And perhaps no too. even if you are surrounded by friends, having that special someone fills an emotional void that can't be filled by regular friends.

I thought this was common knowledge. My husband is a "glass half empty" type of person, who believes that he is more realistic than I am, so I have to take measures to keep myself going.

How true this is. One thing I know for sure: if my wife isn't happy, I don't have a snowball's chance of being happy. And, just because my wife is happy, doesn't necessarily mean I'll be happy.

My husband went into a deep depression and wouldn't get help and now our marriage is ending. He was in such a funk for the last five years that I also didn't care what was wrong, but for me the marriage was over long before it was actually "over" because he checked out emotionally from me and our children.

Thank you Captain Obvious for another breakthrough "study" !

I wish people wouldn't automatically criticize these types of studies as "ridiculous" or "useless".  Social studies help us to truly understand our environment and how we interact with other members of society.  Studies of this nature help us to develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions.  Sometimes the reason why certain things happen in society is not always that clear.  Even if one may think so, it's always better to study the matter and come to a reasonable conclusion.  Such is the case with this particular study.  It gives us information that helps us to understand better and, with that said, we can always stand to understand certain issues better.   

This was probably a government grant. I could have told them this and put the money to better use. I remember a study in the 70's about why three year olds fall off of tricycles. They could have asked any mother of a todler and found out for free. three year olds are clutsy.

Love it when modern Science confirms godly principles. Remember how precious each of you are to Him, then honor the Lord by treating each other that way.

"If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy."

I think the study's valuable, even if the conclusions strike some as "duh". I've been married for 32 years and have often wondered if some of our interpersonal dynamics are "normal", match others' experiences, etc. Knowing how other people's relationships work can be very helpful, even or maybe especially if it turns out they work the same as your own.

Um.....call me crazy, but isn't this kind of self-evident? This research required funding??? There's only one rule that matters, ANY married guy can tell you, and that's rule number one: "If she ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy." Well, DUH!

Maybe some people have been lucky enough to have not had to dig so deep to get answers for a relationship that often feels unfulfilling, or out of sync. Please don't assume the same for others, especially those committed but trying to find a way to make sense of the complex baggage-weighing dynamics between two people who are trying.......

Data for the happiness study was gleaned from the Seattle Longitudinal Study which, since 1956, has followed more than 6,000 individuals, tapping them for insights into their life satisfaction, personality, and health issues.

The data was extracted from a very long term study. While this particular finding may have the 'obvious' feel these long term studies can arrive at conclusions which aren't so obvious but are evident only when seen on a long term basis. The original gathering of data wasn't done just for this particular conclusion.

 Why does everybody always jump to the conclusion that it must be money coming out of your own pocket that funds research?  All the research I did in grad school was funded by corporations that thought they'd find something they could capitalize on to get ahead in business.

Duh.

It took a STUDY to figure that out??WTF!!

You have never found happiness and true love until you get a dog.

Who pays these people to do absurd studies like this one that elaborate on the obvious? Of course the happiness/mood of the person with whom one spends the most time will affect one's happiness/mood! I don't think we need expensive studies to tell us what common sense should.

This ranks right up there with the earth is round, the sky is blue and water is wet!!

WOW

I was married for eighteen years to an "almost empty." In the four years since our separation, I haven't had two bad days in a row, despite many obstacles the universe has thrown my way. This study confirms the fact his problems weren't as a result of me. I think a lot of "downers" are really in the business of attempting to control others' behavior. It makes them feel powerful. Bad, bad coping mechanism. Better to feel the sun on your face. Too bad they're missing the party ;)