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Gottman Method5 min read
The 5:1 Ratio That Predicts Relationship Success
What decades of research say about the balance of positive and negative interactions in your relationship
Dr. John Gottman spent decades watching couples interact in his "Love Lab" — and what he found was surprisingly simple: the ratio of positive to negative interactions predicts, with remarkable accuracy, whether a couple will stay together or split.
The magic number is 5:1. For every one negative interaction during conflict, thriving couples have five positive ones. This doesn't mean avoiding conflict — it means building enough of a positive foundation that conflict doesn't erode the relationship.