Does love at first sight really exist?

By Markham Heid

Gut check: how you feel the moment you lay eyes on your eventual mate can help you gauge the long-term success of your marriage, finds new research from Florida State University.

While almost every newlywed says he feels excited about his nuptials, those expressions of optimism are pretty worthless when it comes to predicting marriage satisfaction four years down the road, the study shows. When researchers used word-association tests to measure “gut-level” instincts—basically, your unconscious or unstated feelings about your new spouse—they found most people know instinctively whether their marriage is headed for trouble. (If you do decide to get out, here's how to do it properly.)

“Newly-married spouses want to believe they are in a good, satisfying relationship,” explains study coauthor Dr James McNulty. But those hopes and desires mess with your judgment, he says.

How can you differentiate real issues from cold feet? Well, there’s a reason McNulty is using un-scientific language like “gut feeling.” Pay attention to the very first thoughts or emotions you have when you see your partner after some time apart, he recommends. If your knee-jerk reaction is consistently negative, you may be signing up for a rough ride. If your apprehensions are more focused on marriage in general—and not your bride—you probably don’t have anything to worry about, the research suggests.

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