
Giving something up for a partner isn’t always experienced as a burden.
A 14-day study involving 69 romantic couples found that people highly motivated to care for their partner’s needs experienced more positive emotions while making sacrifices.
They also felt more appreciated and reported greater relationship satisfaction on days when they sacrificed.
The important detail is that these benefits weren’t identical for everyone.
Wanting to help your partner can change how the sacrifice itself feels.
© Psychological Science