The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

What it is about

From long observation of couples, Gottman offers principles: love maps, fondness and admiration, turning toward, accepting influence, solving solvable conflict, overcoming gridlock, and creating shared meaning. He also names the “Four Horsemen”: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling.

Questions it can answer

• What daily habits distinguish couples who stay connected?
• Which conflicts can be solved, and which are perpetual differences to manage?
• How do criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling show up in ordinary talk?

What you will not find

• A guarantee identical across all cultures
• A full safety plan for one-sided violence
• A verdict on whether to marry or have children