By the second year of this longitudinal study, our newlyweds' marital satisfaction had dropped significantly, as expected. Consistent with the larger effects observed for women than men, neither behavior nor immunological change was related to changes in husbands' marital satisfaction. Thus, for women, immunological responses to conflict may be one bellwether for subsequent changes in feelings about the relationship. Negative emotions engendered by unresolved marital disagreements may carry over into subsequent discussions, leading to decreased satisfaction with the marriage. The pervasive gender differences are consistent with evidence from other marital researchers that women show greater sensitivity to negative marital interactions than men.
Wives demonstrate more detailed and vivid memories of marital disagreements than their husbands.
While these findings were provocative, it was unclear if marital discord would continue to provoke physiological change in older couples. For example, the greater predictability of conflicts in longer-term marriages might blunt physiological responses over time. Both endocrinological and immunological data showed significant relationships to negative behavior during marital conflict in these older couples, whith stronger effects for women than men. These findings support the growing evidence linking close relationships and physiological processes. In fact, these data may underestimate the actual physiological impact of marital discord, since the couples in both studies were generally quite happy.