Monday, September 23, 2002
Study shows that couples are happier when the man is older and educated
A story released today by Divorce-Online News reports that according to a
new study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies indicates that
couples are happier when the man is older and better educated than his
partner.
Economists Wim Groot from Maastricht University and Henriėtte Maassen of the
University of Amsterdam asked 1478 married couples to indicate their
happiness on a scale of one to ten.
In relationships where the man was the oldest, the average score was 7.6
while when the woman was older it was 7.3.
The survey found that in more than three-quarters of relationships the man
was oldest, by an average of three to four years.
"Women with an older partner prefer security instead of a handsome husband,"
concluded the economists' report.
"Women from their point of view find character and social security most
important and therefore prefer an older man."
Mr. Groot also added that couples seemed to be happier when the man was the
better educated of the two.
"When the husband is higher educated, they have a lot more to talk about.
And because the woman thinks the man knows best, there is less arguing." he
added.
