text: Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling are the Four Horsemen.

source: Gottman Method public teaching

provenance: model-memory

context: Canonical concept wording; exact sentence needs source verification.


text: Contempt is the single greatest predictor of divorce.

source: Gottman public talks/books

context: Widely repeated formulation; verify exact wording.


text: Successful long-term relationships are created through small words, small gestures, and small acts.

source: Gottman public teaching

context: Likely paraphrase-adjacent; quarantine until verified.


text: Couples who know intimate details about each other's world are far better prepared to cope with stressful events and conflict.

source: The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

context: Book concept; exact text needs page verification.


text: The basis of my approach is to strengthen the friendship and trust that are at the heart of any marriage.

context: Representative, not verified.


text: Most marital arguments cannot be resolved.

context: Verify exact percentage and wording.


text: The goal is not to solve all your problems, but to learn to dialogue about them.

context: Conceptual formulation; verify.


text: Repair attempts are the secret weapon of emotionally intelligent couples.

context: Commonly attributed; verify exact wording.


text: A complaint focuses on a specific behavior, but criticism attacks a person's character.

source: Gottman Institute Four Horsemen materials

context: Close to official blog wording; verify before runtime use.


text: Behind every complaint is a deep personal longing.

source: Gottman Method clinical teaching

context: Likely Julie/John Gottman teaching; exact attribution needed.


text: In a stable relationship, there are five positive interactions for every negative interaction during conflict.

source: Gottman research summaries

context: Verify exact wording and conflict qualifier.


text: Fondness and admiration are two of the most crucial elements in a rewarding and long-lasting romance.

context: Book wording likely close; verify.


text: When a couple is flooded, they are in a physiological state that makes productive discussion nearly impossible.

context: Concept wording; verify.


text: Take a break for at least twenty minutes, but do not rehearse the argument during the break.

source: Gottman conflict guidance

context: Verify exact break instructions.


text: Masters of relationships scan the environment for things they can appreciate and say thank you for.

context: Common summary; verify exact text.


text: Disasters of relationships scan the environment for partners' mistakes.

context: Common contrast; verify.


text: Trust is built in very small moments.

source: The Science of Trust / public talks

context: Likely exact or near-exact; verify.


text: Betrayal is the secret that lies at the heart of every failing relationship.

source: The Science of Trust

context: Needs exact source check.


text: Attunement is the desire and ability to understand and respect your partner's inner world.

source: Gottman trust teaching

context: Definition-style line; verify.


text: The important thing is not whether you fight, but how you fight.

context: Generic formulation; may be paraphrase.


text: A harsh start-up often leads to a harsh ending.

context: Verify exact wording.


text: Accepting influence from your partner is an important predictor of marital stability.

context: Verify exact wording and gendered context.


text: Gridlock is a sign that you have dreams for your life that aren't being addressed or respected by each other.

context: Book concept; verify.


text: The antidote to contempt is building a culture of appreciation and respect.

context: Official concept; verify exact page.


text: The antidote to defensiveness is to take responsibility, even for a small part of the problem.

context: Official concept; verify exact wording.