People who move a lot attach more importance to their romantic relationships

By Emily Reynolds Moving house can have significant psychological effects — and not just because it’s stressful. Moving can create long-lasting memories, good and bad, while moving frequently is associated with lower academic achievement and poorer physical and mental health among children.  It’s this second experience — moving frequently — that a new study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, explores. Looking at “residential mobility” in the context of romantic relationships, the team finds that those who have moved away from their place of birth or who have frequently moved throughout their life are more likely to see their partners as central to their lives. Over three studies, the team explored three factors relating to how central to their life someone views a relationship: the extent to which a partner is a confidant, a source of a deep bond, and a source of wellbeing. In the first, the team gathered data from a life satisfaction survey, conducted in Turkey annually since 2003. Among other things, participants indicated whether or not they had lived in the same district since they were born, and who they preferred to confide in about work, money, and health — their spouse, their family, or their friends. And results showed that those who were more residentially mobile were more likely to prioritise their spouse as a confidant above their family or friends. In the second study, participants in excl...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Relationships Social Source Type: blogs