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The individuals filled out the same questionnaire every six months for four years to test their conscious responses. When testing their "automatic attitudes," researchers initially found discrepancies that began to match up as time wore on and the honeymoon phase ended. They flashed pictures of each person's spouse for just one-third of a second – enough time for recognition but not enough to form a complete opinion – and asked participants to agree or disagree as quickly as possible with words that may be associated with the picture, such as "disgusting" or "delightful." Those who associated a negative word with the picture indicated a negative automatic attitude. Over time, the attitudes indicated on the questionnaire began to match up with the automatic attitudes exhibited in the picture exercise. Twelve couples divorced within the study's four years. Researchers acknowledged the pressure new married couples feel to "seem" happy, but they don't seem to allow those deeper feelings to surface. - << Prev
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