In this initial study, designed to provide an empirical foundation for understanding what makes marriages work and what factors underlie divorce, John Gottman identified both the basic skills associated with satisfying marriages and the skill deficits that typically accompany unhappy unions. This volume covers many of Dr. Gottman's major findings and the methodology behind them: that happy couples know how to resolve their disagreements while unhappy couples do not; that all couples, happy and unhappy, have conflict; and that the ratio of positive to negative interactions during arguments is a critical factor.  His research shows that a rich climate of positivity ("positive sentiment override") exists in a stable marriage, whereas in an unstable relationship this is lacking; and that satisfied couples know how to negotiate a resolution while dissatisfied couples do not.