Scientists Predict Marriage Failure from Family Photos

news.softpedia ^ | 14th of April 2009 | Elena Gorgan

[JoeProBono]

The intensity of the smile holds the secret to a happy marriage or divorce: Getting married is a giant leap of faith, it has often been said, whose outcome no one can determine. Working until now under the “only time will tell” principle, marriage has just become much simpler, with scientists revealing in a new study that the answer to whether it will end in divorce or not is to be found in childhood pictures of both members.

After analyzing the cases of 650 adults and the pictures these provided from their childhood, researchers at the DePauw University in Indiana determined that those with the brightest smile were also those most likely to have a happy marriage. Oppositely, those who did not look at the camera or whose smiles were not genuine had more chances of getting divorced. The conclusion was reached after comparing the number of people who smiled the most in photos with the rate of divorce among the 650 adults.

[Just another Joe]

Look at that smile!
And been married almost 25 years.

[stevio]

You can’t use that as an example. They never smiled in old pictures.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[Hatteras]

[Just another Joe]

Who could trust a face like that?

Clearly that's a used car salesman's baby picture. ;^P

[kaylar]

What I hate are the men (and it's invariably men) who feel free to bellow "Smile!" at any reasonably young and/or attractive passing female. Just what level of conceit must a person possess, to think he has the right to tell a complete stranger what facial expression they are "allowed" to have in His august presence? To me, the "Smile!" command is about as offensive (and differs in degree not in kind) from screaming,"Lift up your shirt an' flash me yer titties!" at women.

The last person who did this to me made the mistake of doing so a few days after my father's death from a 10+ year battle with cancer, and a day or so before the funeral. I don't think that person will do this to another woman any time soon-if ever....

[JoeProBono]

Cute Kid!

[Tijeras_Slim]

You two care to comment?

[Just another Joe]

Cute Kid!

Yeh, I was a chubby baby, a thin teen, and now I'm making my way back to chubby. ;^)

[JoeProBono]

[Squantos]

I ain’t giving him my watch........

[JoeProBono]

Didn't have the chubby problem

[Hatteras]

I know what you mean. A woman, in passing, told me to smile. I pulled down my pants and wagged it at her. I hate being treated like a piece of meat!

[mollynme]

All I see is a slimy smirk and a look of feigned surprise. No "bright smiles" there!

[kaylar]

Being told “in passing” to “Smile!” is f——g rude-unless of course, you are a psychic and KNOW the person has no reason to look glum. No psychic abilities? Then keep the comments on other people’s facial expressions (and commands to change said expressions to your liking)-to yourself. PERIOD.

[Hatteras]

Oh, come on now. Turn that frown, upside down!

[Just another Joe]

Didn't have the chubby problem

Neither did I at that age, only as a baby.

[grey_whiskers]

How long have they been married, again?

Cheers!