The non-obvious factor that determines happiness in marriage has been identified

People who met their future spouse independently, without intermediaries, are on average more satisfied with their marriage than those whose relationships began with someone's help

This conclusion was reached by Chinese researcher Xueshen Ding, who analyzed data from the large-scale sociological project China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The work was published in the journal Critical Humanistic Social Theory (CHST).

Historically, marriages in many societies were arranged with the active participation of family, community, or professional matchmakers. The choice of partner was strictly limited by social background, religion, and family reputation, while personal feelings were considered secondary and "coming with time." With the development of industrial society and urbanization, the situation changed: people began to meet more often in educational institutions, at work, and among friends, while emotional closeness and personal compatibility came to the forefront.

The author of the study decided to check whether the method of meeting affects marriage satisfaction today. He divided all acquaintances into two large groups: "independent" and "non-independent."

"'Non-independent' acquaintances include relationships that began through parents, relatives, friends, as well as through marriage-oriented platforms - dating sites, TV shows, and mass events for finding a partner. In turn, 'independent' acquaintances are formed during natural communication - in universities, at work, or through online platforms not originally intended for finding a couple," explained Xueshen Ding.

The results showed a consistent pattern: people who found a partner independently, on average, rate their relationships as happier. In contrast, those who met through intermediaries more often reported lower marriage satisfaction.

Within the group of "non-independent" acquaintances, differences were revealed. The lowest ratings were among those introduced by relatives. Acquaintances through friends appeared more favorable but still fell short of independent ones. Also, lower satisfaction was demonstrated by participants who met online through non-specialized dating services, compared to those who met offline on their own initiative.

"Relationship satisfaction primarily depends on the personal qualities of the partners and how their interaction develops over time. The method of meeting likely reflects a person's more general behavioral attitudes in the romantic sphere, rather than determining the quality of marriage itself," noted the researcher.