WATCH OUT! BREAKFAST IN BED COULD MEAN IT’S CRUNCH TIME FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP
- Out of the blue romantic gestures set alarm bells ringing for British women
Blokes who are too nice to their wife or girlfriend will spark fears that they are cheating, a study revealed yesterday.
Researchers found two thirds of women would be suspicious if their partner suddenly had new moves in the bedroom or started making romantic gestures like bringing home flowers, running hot baths or preparing them breakfast in bed.
And if they suddenly started buying jewellery and sexy underwear or helped out more with household chores then millions of women would worry he is feeling guilty about something.
More than a third of women confessed the better behaved their partner was, the more likely they were to snoop on his phone or Facebook page.
Worryingly 34 per cent of women said they would be happy to turn a blind eye to a minor indiscretion if it meant that their partner changed for the better and was nicer to live with out of guilt.
The research was commissioned by Kellogg’s who quizzed 2,000 married and unmarried Brits on what made them suspicious*.
Louise Thompson Davies, from Kellogg’s said: “It seems there is an emotional gulf between the sexes when it comes to matters of the heart. So when men think they are just being nice and showering their other half with gifts and affection they think they are just being attentive but the reality is that women just don’t see it like that.”
“Today’s work and life pressures have resulted in romantic gestures like making your wife or girlfriend breakfast in bed much more of a rare occasion. This is why most women tend to reach for the panic button and suspect the worse when they are made a fuss over.
“The smallest changes in a man’s behaviour can set a women’s mind whirling and get them worrying.
“But it’s interesting to see how many women would be willing to ignore their suspicions and just enjoy having a new more attentive partner. It seems that for some women having a romantic and thoughtful partner is more important than having one that is faithful.”
Surprise gifts of chocolates would instantly cause concern for most women with one in six women saying that their partner has given them a gift in the past because of a guilty conscience.
While only a fifth of women said they automatically assume that their other half was cheating, most said that they would think he had something to hide or was trying to divert their attention from something.
Two thirds of women said that if their suspicions were aroused they would have to get to the bottom of what was going on while the rest said they would just be happy that their partner was being more romantic.
While women said they would be more wary if their partner became more loving and emotional, men were more likely to be suspicious of a cheating partner if they stopped paying them as much attention and were more secretive than usual.
Other things that would make men worry that their partner was hiding something included taking more care over their appearance, wearing sexy underwear and making less effort around the home.
Jean Hannah Edelstein, author of Himglish and Femalese: Why Women Don't Get Why Men Don't Get Them, said “Women often associate traditional 'romantic' gestures with the early, courtship phase of a relationship when, in effect, their partner is trying to persuade them to make a commitment.
She added: “Women tend to think that these gestures are empty once the commitment has been made and this kind of fuss is less common so they assume the worst. Which is a shame. If you are concerned about your partner's behaviour, it's best to express your concerns in a non-confrontational way, rather than jump to conclusions that the tray of cereal and eggs he has brought you is a sign of infidelity.”
TOP TWENTY THINGS THAT MAKE WOMEN SUSPICIOUS
1. Buys jewellery
2. New moves in the bedroom
3. More emotional
4. Buys flowers
5. Buys chocolates
6. More attentive
7. Buys sexy underwear
8. Book a romantic weekend away
9. Buys you more things
10. Helps more with the chores
11. Tells you he loves you more
12. Makes breakfast in bed
13. Pays more compliments
14. Texts more
15. Does the cooking
16. Calls more
17. Listens better
18. Runs baths
19. Hand over the TV remote
20. Cuddles more
ENDS
Notes to editors:
· Research conducted by One Poll in January 2012
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