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How I Predict DivorceHow I Predict DivorceHow I Predict DivorceHow I Predict Divorce
Dara and Oliver sit face to face in the Love Lab. Both are in their
late twenties, they have volunteered to take part in my study of
newlyweds. In this extensive research, 130 couples have agreed to put
their marriages not only under the microscope but in front of the
camera as well. Dara and Oliver are among the fifty who were
observed during an overnight stay at the Love Lab "apartment". My
ability to predict divorce is based in part on my analysis of these
couples and their interactions.
Dara and Oliver say their lives are hectic but happy. She attends
nursing school at night, and he works long hours as a computer
programmer. Like many couples, including those who remain content
as well as those who eventually divorce, Dara and Oliver
acknowledge that their marriage isn't perfect. But they say they love
each other and are committed to staying together. They positively
beam when they talk about the life they plan to build.
I ask them to spend fifteen minutes in the lab trying to resolve
an ongoing disagreement they are having while I videotape them. As
they speak, sensors attached to their bodies gauge their stress levels