FOR ROMANTIC PARTNERS LEFT OUT OF A MEAL , LUNCH IS NOT JUST LUNCH
If you're meeting an ex lover, plan on coffee instead of lunch if you'd
like to keep the peace at home
When
it comes to consuming calories with a person of the opposite sex, sharing meals
sparks significantly more jealousy than meeting that same person for coffee.
"Our
research suggests that sharing lunch involves more than the physical
consumption of calories," conclude co-authors Kevin M. Kniffin, a
postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University's Dyson School of Applied
Economics, and Brian Wansink, the director of Cornell's Food and Brand Lab, in
their new paper, "It's Not Just Lunch: Extra-Pair Commensality Can Trigger
Sexual Jealousy," which appears in the peer-reviewed journal, PLoS ONE.
Research
by Kniffin and Wansink measured the amount of jealousy reported by current
romantic partners if one of them were contacted by an ex lover and subsequently
engaged in several food- and drink-based activities.
"We
consistently found that meals elicit more jealousy than face-to-face
interactions that do not involve eating -- such as having coffee," Kniffin
said. "These results are consistent for both men and women."
For
couples who are attuned to relationship risks, this study suggests that men and
women who "do lunch" run the risk of a jealous spouse or partner at
home.
"It's
key to remember that from your spouse's perspective, it's not 'just lunch.'
While meals can strengthen social relationships, they can also destroy
them," Wansink said.
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