If you want to reignite the passion in your relationship this Valentineâs Day, skip the intimate, candle-light dinner for two and go on a double date.
Thatâs the conclusion out of a new US study, which found that striking a friendship with another couple can help people view their partners and their relationship in a new light.
Though researchers from Wayne State University in Detroit had hypothesized that couples who spend time with other couples would add another level of excitement to relationships, they note that the impact was more significant or ârobustâ than they originally thought.
For their study, researchers enlisted 150 couples who were paired up and asked to answer a set of questions categorized as either small talk or deeper, personal questions dubbed âhigh-disclosure Fast Friendsâ such as âWhat was the most embarrassing moment in your life?â
Couples tasked with the high-disclosure activity reported feeling higher levels of âpassionate loveâ following their meeting, compared to those assigned to engage in small talk.
Furthermore, when couples were more responsive with their new friends -- defined as validating the sharing of personal information in a caring and positive way -- they felt more passionate about their own relationship, researchers noted.
To set the mood this Valentineâs Day, researchers suggest hosting a double-date dinner at home or a quiet restaurant, a setting conducive to speaking freely and sharing personal information.
The findings were presented at the annual conference in Austin this week.
Donât have a couple BFF yet? Online social networking site may have a group for couples seeking other couples (just make sure itâs for the same interest) depending on your area.
Sites like and also allow singletons to bring a friend -- or wingman, wingwoman -- on group dates for moral support and reinforcements.
