On Thursday, the Harvard Business School Behavioral Economist Michael Norton joined Boston Public Radio to break down his research on the phenomenon of rituals in relationships and what they say about the people who share them.
“Usually it’s something like 50-60 percent of couples say [they share a ritual.," he said. "So this isn’t a thing where two percent of couples are doing this thing, it seems to be ubiquitous.”
Norton’s research, which he conducted alongside student Ximena Garcia-Rada, found that the strongest relationships typically have them.
"The really key one here is: we asked people how committed they feel to the relationship. Because if you think about how you show your partner that you are committed– you can say it as much as you want… a ritual’s a funny thing where it’s an actual commitment," he said. "It’s actually a physical, tangible way to show true commitment."
These rituals, Norton explained, don’t have to be grand or ceremonial. Some of the couples he studied made rituals out of their weekly chores.
“They say 'every Tuesday morning we do the trash [together],' and it’s really important to them," he said. "And they’ve been doing it for thirty years together! These are things that get really embedded in our lives.”
Michael Norton is the Harold M. Brierley professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. His Latest book is "Happy Money, The Science of Smarter Spending." He’s also co-host of the podcast "Talking Green," which explores the psychological forces that drive attitudes and decisions around money and investing.
