Relationship Institute Staff's blog

Here is a test for people in relationships. You and your partner have just completed a delicious meal at one of your favorite restaurants... 

Relationships give our lives meaning, and in tough economic times our marriages and families are more important than ever. But with the economy struggling and home values dropping, how can we manage stress and still stay close to the people who matter the most?

Statistically, your 26 year-old daughter is fast approaching the average age for marriage in the United States. One day she tells you that she and her boyfriend are thinking about living together, and she wants to know if you think this is a good idea. What do you say?

“Sure, I can answer that question, easy.” Anne was in her early 40s, sitting next to her husband on a couch in my lab, cameras rolling. Beginning a few weeks after their wedding some 10 years earlier, Anne and Joe had been participating in my longitudinal study of marriage and family development.

We are always interested in identifying ways to improve relationships between couples. From time to time we come across tools and services on other websites that may be helpful to our users.

What would scientists learn about your family if they camped out in your home for a few days?  Turns out the answer is not so obvious. 

In his short story in a recent issue of New Yorker, Julian Barnes captures the subtle shifts of attention and the nuances of emotion that transform two strangers into lovers. 

We are really excited to announce the launch of our new website and several new service offerings. This comes after months of reviewing and responding to feedback from seminar attendees and website users. Continue reading for a list of the biggest changes.

“What is the sexiest part of the human body?” screamed the headline of a full-page movie advertisement in the Sunday New York Times.  The title of the movie escapes me now, but as an impressionable young man of 15 I eagerly read down the list of possible answers:  Is it the Eyes?  Lips?  Legs?  No, No, and No!  The nape of the neck?  Buttocks?  Breasts?  Genitals?  Incorrect!  My confusion grew, as did my doubts about the credibility of my 9th grade human biology teacher.  How could it not be the genitals?  What wa