Does the idea of snogging your other half in public make you cringe?
If the answer is yes, there’s bad news – as a new study has revealed that public displays of affection (PDA) are actually good for you.
Researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, examined the link between PDA and relationship satisfaction.
The team asked more than 400 people how often they engaged in PDA, including holding hands, hugging, kissing, and public declarations of love.
They were also quizzed on how satisfied they were in their relationship.
Overall, the results revealed that people who frequently engaged in PDA reported higher relationship satisfaction.
The findings will come as bad news to many Brits, who often take to social media to blast PDA.
‘Seeing PDA will literally ruin my day,’ one user vented on TikTok, while another added: ‘this should be illegal.’
Does the idea of snogging your other half in public make you smile or cringe? If the answer is ‘cringe’, there’s bad news – as a new study has revealed that public displays of affection (PDA) are actually good for you. Pictured: Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian
The results revealed that across all three countries, there was a positive correlation between PDA and relationship satisfaction
For the study, the team set out to understand the prevalence and impact of PDA around the world.
‘Displays of romantic affection, both public and private, contribute to improved well–being, reduced stress, greater life satisfaction, and enhanced relationship satisfaction,’ they explained in their study, published in PLOS One.
‘However, cultural norms significantly influence the expression of affection, particularly in public settings.’
The researchers collected data from 170 Indonesian participants, 120 Nepali participants, and 171 Polish participants, aged 18 to 49.
The results reveald that across all three countries, there was a positive correlation between PDA and relationship satisfaction.
‘As we hypothesized, both private and public displays of affection were positively correlated with relationship satisfaction,’ the researchers explained.
However, there were key differences across the different cultures.
Polish participants reported the highest level of PDA, while Indonesian participants reported the lowest.
For the study, the team set out to understand the prevalence and impact of PDA around the world. Pictured: Dua Lipa and Callum Turner
Polish participants also scored higher for private displays of affection.
‘Negative attitudes and behaviors towards displaying affection publicly were most prevalent in Indonesia and least prevalent in Poland,’ the researchers added.
‘Nepali participants reported the highest level of relationship satisfaction, followed by Polish participants, with Indonesian participants reporting the lowest.’
The news comes shortly after Londoners called for kissing to be banned on the London Underground.
‘It’s not the nicest, is it? You know when you’re sat next to a couple and they’re literally on top of each other. It’s a bit icky,’ one Londoner said to the Daily Mail.
Another added: ‘I think there’s levels to it. Just have respect generally.’
