What the research says
Updated September 4, 2026
This field has a habit of repeating striking numbers that don't survive scrutiny. We cite sources, and we say when a finding is contested.
Do love languages actually work?A 2024 review examined three core claims and found none well supported.
Bids for connectionThe 86% and 33% figures, what they came from, and 50 examples.
Why only one partner paysOur pricing reasoning, and the category complaint behind it.
Our standard for citing things
If we give a number, we link to where it came from. If a number is contested in the literature, we say so — as with the widely repeated claim about predicting divorce with over 90% accuracy, which Heyman & Slep (2001) challenged on the grounds that the models were fitted and evaluated on the same sample. The Gottman Institute's own research FAQ frames the finding more carefully than most secondary coverage does.
We describe published concepts and cite their sources. Nearvo is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by any research institute or author whose published work is discussed on this site.
Nearvo is not therapy. These pages describe published relationship research and offer conversation prompts. They are not a substitute for working with a licensed couples therapist, and nothing here is a treatment for a relationship in crisis.
Cite this page
Nearvo. "What the research says." Baker Ventures LLC, September 4, 2026. https://nearvo.bakerventuresstudio.com/research