Public displays of affection (PDA) have been linked to healthier relationships, according to a new study. Researchers found that couples who engage in more romantic gestures outside the home report greater happiness in their relationships.
Study Details
The study, published in the scientific journal Plos One, surveyed 461 people aged between 18 and 49 in Poland, Indonesia, and Nepal. Participants rated how strongly they engaged in a list of PDAs, including holding hands, hugging, kissing in public, and declaring love in front of family and friends.
The three countries were chosen because each has different attitudes towards the acceptability of PDAs. The academics concluded that PDA may be important for relationship happiness across cultures.
Expert Insight
Study leader Dagna Kocur, from the University of Silesia in Poland, said: “Affectionate behaviour is one of the ways people communicate closeness, love and emotional connection.”
“Even small everyday gestures like holding hands, hugging or kissing can help partners feel valued, emotionally secure, and connected to each other.”
Further Findings
The research also found that people who were affectionate more often privately had even higher relationship satisfaction. Previous studies found women show affection more frequently than men, and that men often prefer kissing, while women prefer hugging.
There is evidence that people deprived of affection are more at risk of health problems including depression and anxiety. To further investigate whether affection causes happier relationships, the academics will next examine PDA in a larger group of 1,000 people across nine countries, including the UK.
