Overview

• The analysis combined data from two studies conducted between 2016–2018 and 2021–2023 involving nearly 750 couples across Germany, Austria and Switzerland who rated their satisfaction multiple times daily.
• Variability in relationship satisfaction was greater between days than within a single day, though both showed noteworthy ups and downs.
• Partners’ satisfaction levels tended to rise and fall in sync, indicating shared emotional rhythms within relationships.
• Perceived partner responsiveness emerged as the strongest predictor of daily satisfaction, outweighing demographic factors.
• The study found that mood swings, especially in men, can undermine satisfaction and draws parallels to parent-child bonds where consistent need fulfillment maintains stable contentment.