In the research, Gottman discovered that all the negativity is not equivalent. The guy calls him or her “The fresh Four Horsemen of your Apocalypse.” These five some thing have been feature of your Disasters. The newest Four Horsemen is issue, contempt, defensiveness and you can stonewalling.
Horseman 1: Criticism. An issue was a judgment one to relates to your own partner's personality inside a beneficial pejorative method. Rather than criticizing, promote a problem alternatively. An ailment focuses on a specific conclusion or feel. A straightforward three-region strategy for offering an ailment: (1) “This is how I'm (2) on the [blank] problem (3) and here's what I would like/require.” The latest Positives was talking about themselves and you can what they need alternatively away from criticizing their couples.
Horseman 2: Defensiveness. At any time we think attacked, it's our very own natural a reaction to should defend ourselves, however, defensiveness merely serves to alienate all of our lover and you will lengthen the new dispute. Unlike shielding on your own, need duty to possess crappy behavior and you can confirm your own lover's thinking. Even if you getting you will be simply guilty of a portion of the situation, capture ownership of this part and you may confirm the way it influenced your own spouse. (more…)