We All Knew Tea Made Us Happy
An Open University study of 5,000 people over two years was aimed at examining relationships in Britain. They wanted to discover the factors that lead to long lasting pairings and found that tea was part of the answer.
Well, it wasn’t exactly tea, but rather that small, simple gestures were more meaningful to relationships than grandiose efforts at romance. After answering a number of questions about how satisfied they were with their lives, participants were given the opportunity to name two things that helped them feel appreciated in their relationships. As researchers analyzed the results they found that “making tea” was mentioned so many times that a category had to be created for it. Women ranked having someone make tea for them as the fourth most important way that their partners showed appreciation. It came ahead of sex and having their opinions valued.
It also seems that your mother was right; please and thank you are magic words that can help keep relationships strong.
This research project, Enduring Love? Couple Relationships in the 21st Century, was designed by social scientists at The Open University, a major online educational program. In addition to the 5,000 adults who completed the online survey, 50 couples participated in in-depth interviews. The project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
Sources: The Telegraph and The Open University
