"94% of Couples Who Smirk End Up Divorcing"... What Is the Psychologist's Evidence?

A Smile Lifting One Corner of the Mouth
94% Indicator of Divorce... Psychologist's Analysis
"Because It Reveals Contempt in Facial Expressions"
"If You Notice the Signs, Address Them Directly"

A study has found that a smile that lifts only one side of the mouth may be the biggest warning sign leading to divorce.

On April 23 (local time), the New York Post reported that "Dr. John Gottman, a renowned psychologist and marriage counselor, discovered with 94% accuracy that a smile lifting only one side of the mouth indicates the likelihood of divorce."

Dr. Gottman has continuously conducted extensive research on the factors that form or destroy marital relationships after publishing a statistical analysis of marriage and divorce in the Journal of Family Psychology in 1992. Through his research, he found with 94% accuracy that when one partner smiles by lifting only one corner of the mouth, it signals the likelihood of divorce.

Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards explained, "Dr. Gottman was able to predict with 93.6% accuracy whether a couple would divorce if one partner smiled at the other by lifting only one side of the mouth." She added, "The reason is that this expression reveals contempt." She went on to say, "Contempt is the most harmful emotion in a relationship. If you notice signs of contempt from yourself or your partner, you must confront it directly." She emphasized, "You should keep asking questions like 'What's wrong?', 'Are you okay?', or 'How are you feeling right now?' so that your partner expresses their feelings of contempt and you can address the issue together."

Clinical psychologist Dr. David M. Schnier also supported Dr. Gottman's findings, saying, "Feelings of disgust and contempt in a relationship are like throwing matches and oil on a fire." He identified subtle signs of contempt such as rolling the eyes, curling the lips, fiddling with clothes, or wiping fingers while talking. He advised, "If the situation becomes too serious, it is better to make a joke or change the subject to something you both enjoy. Just go outside for a walk and cool off."