Settling down to watch a romantic movie with your partner this Christmas could work wonders for your relationship, according to new research.
A study found watching such films reinforces couples’ belief that they share “one true love” and can cope with any difficulties that might come their way.
Previous studies have shown the more movies or TV shows we tune into, the more we incorporate the messages they convey into our everyday lives.
In the latest study, researchers from the University of Mississippi wanted to see precisely how frequent viewing of love-themed stories affected the way people saw their own relationships.
The team quizzed 279 married men and women – aged from 23 to 77 – on a range of romantic beliefs.
The volunteers were asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements ranging from “The person I love makes a perfect romantic partner” to “There can only be one real love for me”.
Researchers also sought their views on how likely it was that they would get through any difficult times.
Answers were graded from one – strongly disagree – to seven, strongly agree. Researchers then matched the results with how often the recruits watched movies and shows featuring an idealist portrayal of romance.
The results were published in the journal Psychological Reports.
The researchers said of their findings: “We found the more participants watched these movies, the greater their belief in the idea that they and their partner are soulmates”.
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