Mismatch and happiness in marital relationship: Importance of future-planning communication and inquisitiveness

Having a sense of good match with the partner in a married couple shall be important to maintain the relationship and happy life. However, little is known about the possible determinants and influences of having such a good-match relationship. We examine (i) what induces a husband and a wife in the couple to have a sense of good match with the partner, respectively, and (ii) how the husband’s and wife’s perceptions of (mis)match are related to individual happiness. Itis hypothesized that certain characteristics of couples, such as their future-planning communication and inquisitiveness, matter for having a sense of match as well as being happy in marriage. The questionnaire surveys were conducted in Japan and the data are collected from 247 married couples (494 individuals). The statistical analyses reveal the following findings. First, a couple’s recognition to the amount of future-planning communication and a husband’s inquisitiveness not only enhance a sense of good match but also individual happiness. Second, “both-match†couples that recognize “my partner is in good match with me†each other are much happier than couples who do not, while “both-mismatch†couples are the unhappiest among any other types of (mis)match couples. Overall, sufficient future-planning communication and a husband’s attribute of being inquisitive about something new & different are important drivers for couples to maintain good chemistry and happiness directly and indirectly through a mediator of having a sense of good match.