Willingness to Bend can Help Calm Down Fraying Tempers in Fights Among Couples

Willingness to bend and cede some power, and not admittance of guilt, could help calm majority of blow-ups between couples, a new study reveals. Baylor psychologist Keith Sanford, Ph.D, said that giving up power comes in many forms, among them giving a partner more independence, admitting faults, showing respect and being willing to compromise.

In another study, Sanford found that when people express anger, they often also feel sad. But while a partner will easily and immediately recognize expressions of anger, the spouse often will fail to notice the sadness.

He said that when it comes to perceiving emotion in a partner, anger trumps sadness.

Previous research has found that genuine expressions of sadness during a conflict can sometimes draw partners closer together, and it potentially can enable couples to break out of a climate of anger.

His research has been published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

Source-ANI