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Contempt Ranked Top Divorce Predictor in Gottman Research, Critics Question Findings
Researchers watched couples argue to understand what makes relationships last or fail.
They found that contempt was especially harmful.
Contempt means treating a partner as inferior through insults, sarcasm or hostile jokes.
The Gottman Institute says this behavior predicted divorce more strongly than ordinary anger.
The researchers also studied whether couples responded positively when their partners tried to connect.
Couples who responded more often were more likely to remain together.
Taking a short break during an argument and returning when calmer may help restore affection and humor.
Some researchers, however, say the original findings were stated too strongly and were not always repeated in later studies.
The Gottman Institute identifies contempt—insults, sarcasm and hostile humor—as the strongest predictor of divorce.
John Gottman and Robert Levenson studied couples arguing in a University of Washington laboratory known as the “Love Lab.”
A 1992 study predicted separation three years later with over 94% accuracy, while seven studies reportedly averaged over 90%.
Couples displaying criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling divorced earlier on average than couples who became emotionally disengaged.
Critics have argued that some Gottman findings were overstated and did not remain robust across different samples or procedures.
- Who
- John Gottman, Robert Levenson and other researchers studied married and newlywed couples.
- What
- The research examined whether contempt and other conflict behaviors predict separation or divorce.
- Where
- The original laboratory research was conducted at the University of Washington.
- When
- The Love Lab began in 1986; a major study was published in 1992, with later studies following couples for up to 12 years.
- Why
- The researchers sought to identify relationship behaviors associated with stability or divorce and ways couples might reduce harmful conflict.
Gottman Institute Findings
Research Critics
Predicting divorce
Gottman Institute Findings
The institute says contempt is the strongest predictor and that its broader research predicted divorce with more than 90% average accuracy.
Research Critics
Stanley, Bradbury and Markman argued that the newlywed study overstated its results, while a later study found the findings were not robust to changes in sample or procedure.
Practical relationship advice
Gottman Institute Findings
The institute recommends taking breaks during arguments, building appreciation and giving partners the benefit of the doubt.
Research Critics
The articles do not report a direct criticism of these techniques, but the broader criticism questions how consistently the underlying research findings apply.
Applicability across couples
Gottman Institute Findings
Gottman and Levenson later followed gay and lesbian couples and found relationship satisfaction was about the same across couple types.
Research Critics
The best-known 1992 sample consisted of heterosexual couples, limiting how broadly that particular result can be interpreted.
Key facts
- Top predictor
- The Gottman Institute ranks contempt as the strongest predictor of divorce.
- Contempt behaviors
- The research coding system includes sarcasm, insults and hostile humor.
- 1992 prediction result
- A study of 52 married couples predicted three-year separation outcomes with over 94% accuracy.
- Combined findings
- The institute says divorce predictions averaged over 90% across seven longitudinal studies.
- Four Horsemen
- Criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling were associated with earlier divorce.
- Conflict intervention
- In one intervention study, couples took a break to let their heart rates return to baseline before continuing a discussion.
- Research criticism
- Critics said the newlywed findings were stated too strongly and were not robust across different samples or procedures.
Sources
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