When couples share a common worldview, their lives take on more meaning

Scientific literature has repeatedly established that people have a strong urge to find meaning in their lives.Decades of research have also explored the concept of "meaning in life" and how individuals can access the sense that they have one, whether through intrapersonal means—by setting goals to achieve—or interpersonal means—such as through a sense of belonging.Another perspective suggests that human relationships also provide access to a sense of meaning. Psychology researchers at McGill University have explored a new angle: how interpersonal processes in romantic relationships can foster meaning in life through shared reality.In their study, recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the authors demonstrate a shared reality within a couple, that is, perceiving thoughts, emotions or beliefs similar to those of one's partner, is linked to a reduction in uncertainty—and potentially associated stress—thus reinforcing the meaning or direction given to life."When a couple watches a horror film and both partners (or just one) realize that they both find it frightening, they are sharing the same reality," explains the study's lead author, Catalina Enestrom, a former doctoral student in psychology at McGill University, in a press release.However, it doesn't necessarily take a shared experience to create a shared reality, explains the postdoctoral researcher at IESE Business School in Barcelona. "For example, if one partner describes a stressful event they experienced and the other partner experiences it the same way, their shared perception can also contribute to creating a shared reality. As couples accumulate these shared perspectives, they come to see the world in the same way."To reach this conclusion, the research team conducted five parallel studies involving nearly 1,300 participants:A laboratory study with 103 couples: shared reality measures (self-reported and coded from a videotaped interaction) of meaning in life and marital satisfaction; analysis of verbal shared reality behaviours (e.g., sentence completion, expressing agreement).An online survey study conducted one year after the murder of George Floyd among 190 Black American respondents in a relationship: assessing whether shared reality with one's partner reduces uncertainty about racism and the sociopolitical climate, and increases meaning in life.A longitudinal study during the first two waves of COVID-19 among 139 healthcare workers in relationships: testing whether shared reality perceived at the beginning of the pandemic can predict a reduction in job uncertainty six months later and an increase in meaning at work.An online experiment with 364 participants: They were asked to recall an interaction with their partner in which they felt (or did not feel) in shared reality, with subsequent measures of uncertainty and meaning.An experimental study with 389 participants: The authors manipulated the perception of shared reality to test its impact on uncertainty and meaning in life.Main resultsIn the correlational studies (1 to 3), the researchers observed that the more people perceived a generalized shared reality with their partner, the more they reported a sense of meaning in life and at work. This effect was accompanied by a reduction in uncertainty about the world—social climate or professional environment, for example.Their experimental studies (4 and 5) also showed that inducing the memory or perception of a moment of shared reality with one's partner reduced uncertainty and increased meaning in life. This confirms a causal link: it is indeed shared reality that produces these effects, and not the other way around.Ultimately, the five studies converge on the same finding: a strong shared reality reduces uncertainty and increases perceived meaning in life or work, regardless of marital satisfaction.These findings could potentially pave the way for new therapeutic levers. In couples psychotherapy, working on shared worldviews could foster meaning and strengthen therapy adherence. Integrating the relational dimension into psychoeducational interventions could also enhance the effect of adjunctive medications. Finally, in pharmacy, understanding the role of couple dynamics on patient adherence or motivation could offer an opportunity for a holistic approach to the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.To confirm these avenues, further research will be necessary, as the five studies in question were conducted primarily among heterosexual individuals in North America. Further, the long-term effects of shared reality have not yet been documented: will they be sustainable or will they fluctuate depending on the marital context and/or the changing sociopolitical environment?This article has been translated from its original French and first appeared on our sister site Profession Santé.

When couples share a common worldview, their lives take on more meaning

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