Sharing new and exciting experiences has been shown to spice things up when a relationship gets stale. Recently, researchers discovered that getting to know another couple by sharing personal details may be another way to increase passionate love between partners.  

Two new studies presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology conference in Austin, Texas, examined 150 couples. The couples answered basic get-to-know-you questions such as “What is your idea of a perfect day?” or “What was the most embarrassing moment in your life?” The researchers found that  couples who discussed deep, personal topics and responded to one another in a positive way were much more likely to report an increase in passionate love toward their partner compared to couples who kept the conversation to non-emotional, surface chatter. 

“Having a couple respond positively to you and your partner may provide you with a fresh, positive view of your partner, or the other couple may serve as a role model and inspire couples to feel more positively about their relationships,” says Keith Welker, an author and doctoral student at Wayne State University.

Welker suggests planning a double date in a place where both couples will feel comfortable revealing intimate details about themselves. This may not happen at a restaurant or public place, where constant distractions or interruptions could make sharing difficult. Instead, invite a couple over for dinner at home, Welker suggests.

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