In a new study, researchers found that a woman who can make her partner laugh is more desirable in a long relationship.
The finding shows that humor is quite important to men’s long-term happiness in their romantic relationships.
The research was conducted by Jeffrey Hall, a professor from the University of Kansas.
Previous studies have shown that during dating, women value a man who can tell jokes and show wit more than men appreciate a woman’s jocularity.
In the study, he wanted to clarify the role of laughter in romantic relationships.
He ran a review of 10 prior studies with more than 2,100 people in long-term relationships.
He found the ‘partner effect’, which happens when one person’s humor is linked to their partner’s contentment.
in the research, it was the association between one partner’s tendency to joke and their partner’s satisfaction.
The result showed that the wives of men who report producing a lot of humor were a little bit satisfied.
But the husbands of women who report producing humor were much more satisfied.
It seems that in a romantic relationship, women are overvaluing men’s comedic skill while men are undervaluing women’s.
The professor also surveyed 123 couples who’d been married an average of 12 years.
They were asked who does more of the joking in the relationship, how much they appreciated their partners’ sense of humor and whether humor was important to their relationship.
Both men and women saw humor as a central part of the relationship, no matter who did more joking around when they appreciated their partners’ sense of humor.
The researcher suggests that humor can improve bonding, foster inclusion, and signal playfulness. These things are cherished by both men and women.
When it comes to humor, great repartee with a romantic partner is key to long-term satisfaction.
The study is published in Humor: The International Journal of Humor Research.
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