HALF of us will sit through a telly show we do not like if our partner chooses to watch it, according to a TalkTalk poll.
And the programmes you tune into together, as a couple, could say a lot about your sex life and your relationship as a whole.
ShutterstockA psychologist analyses what your favourite show says about your sex life[/caption]
Psychologist Emma Kenny shares her insights with Claire Dunwell.
Horror films
YOU like kink. If your screen fix involves blood and gore, such as film The Conjuring your love is likely to last long-term.
AlamyIf your screen fix involves blood your love is likely to last long-term[/caption]
Emma says: “The mundane, humdrum life is not for you. You work hard at maintaining your spark, love the adrenaline intimate relationships bring and enjoy the extremes love can offer.
“Research shows that when we’re scared, our brains pump out the feel-good chemical dopamine – the same chemical we release when we’re infatuated with someone.
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“Watching a horror film together isn’t just a way to get your heart racing, it is excellent for building bonds and means your relationship will stand the test of time.
“You like sex to be adventurous with a touch of kink.”
Game shows
YOU enjoy role play. If quizzes such as Only Connect and Tipping Point, are on your viewing schedule, you like relationships to be fun and problem-free.
Not known, clear with picture deskIf quizzes such as Only Connect and Tipping Point, are on your viewing schedule, you like relationships to be fun and problem-free[/caption]
Emma says: “You love healthy competition and this makes your relationship engaged and playful. No matter how long you have been together, having fun remains at the centre and by now you have both mastered the art of losing gracefully.
“When you encounter an issue as a couple, you seek solutions. The Journal of Psychological Rehabilitation and Mental Health found peoples’ mental health improved when watching game shows.
“It’s thanks to your playful nature you enjoy a lot of role-play during sex, which is adult play at its finest.”
Period dramas
YOU focus on foreplay. Fans of Bridgerton and Downton Abbey go the extra mile to make their partner feel appreciated.
LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXFans of Bridgertonand Downton Abbey go the extra mile to make their partner feel appreciated[/caption]
Emma says: “Your partnership is built on communication and you both believe romance is a key ingredient. You may have found the key to a long-lasting romance.”
Watching romantic fare together is another good sign.
Emma adds: “US researchers at the University of Rochester discovered couples who watch and discuss romantic dramas cut their chances of divorce by half, which is a by-product of your shared viewing pleasure. With sex, foreplay is everything.
“This includes sharing fantasies and giving each other long, intimate massages that let you relax and escape to a different dimension of pleasure.”
Documentaries
YOU are experimental in the bedroom. If you love to watch Blue Planet or a Louis Theroux documentary, you really care about each other and want to keep improving your relationship.
If you love to watch Blue Planet or a Louis Theroux documentary you really care about each other
“Although your viewing habits together are very much based on reality, you are both big dreamers,” says Emma.
“You are excited by the limitless possibilities your lives have to offer. You are always thinking about how to make your relationship multidimensional and interesting.
“You love sex toys because you see the human body as a vessel of great and often untapped potential.
“Couples who watch documentaries benefit from increased empathy, so you are constantly growing in understanding to one another. You’re curious and inquisitive so you rarely get bored in the bedroom.”
Sitcoms
YOU use props such as blindfolds. Watched every episode of Friends, below, three times? It may mean you are always hunting for a new partner.
GettyWatched every episode of Friends, below, three times? It may mean you are always hunting for a new partner[/caption]
Emma says: “Researchers at Michigan University found people that frequently watch sitcoms featuring characters who date multiple partners tended to believe less in the idea of soulmates or finding ‘The One’.
“You enjoy relationships but are not romantic. You avoid PDAs and prefer to show affection for a partner between the sheets.
“This could come across to a partner as not being committed long-term and keeping your options open.
“You are direct about your needs in bed, like to dominate – and be dominated – and are more than happy to use props such as handcuffs and blindfolds to keep sex interesting.”
Soaps
YOU have a sexual routine. You set your clock by the soaps, such as EastEnders, and love to binge any episodes missed.
BBCWhile your life in the bedroom might be just as predictable, your love is built to last[/caption]
And while your life in the bedroom might be just as predictable, your love is built to last.
Emma says: “You have the ingredients for a long-lasting partnership. You are great communicators who are genuinely interested in each other’s lives.
You enjoy your sex life even though you stick to a routine. Others might consider it vanilla but you both feel fulfilled.
Your relationship is a far cry from the madness you see on TV.
If yours is not the most exciting sex life, your love story is second to none.”
Reality TV
YOU are passionate lovers. From The Apprentice to Love Island, you can’t get enough of gossip, tears and tantrums – which speaks volumes about your sex life.
ITVYou can’t get enough of gossip, tears and tantrums – which speaks volumes about your sex life[/caption]
Emma says: “It’s fireworks between the sheets. Passion is your thing and you know how to get it when it comes to sex.
“Adventurous, impulsive and sponta-neous, you are for ever refining your relationship to ensure you both get the very best from one another and the sex is always romantic.
“You each thrive on the drama that real life can present. According to social cognitive theory, this is because humans learn by watching behaviours and mimicking those that result in successful outcomes.
“This means your reality TV obsession is actually offering you useful pointers which can help strengthen your relationship.”
True Crime
YOU like sex in unusual places. While you like to watch high-intensity true crime documentaries or dramas, such as Netflix’s Inventing Anna, your relationship is a tranquil one. “You enjoy a peaceful relationship,” says Emma.
Sundance Channel 1While you like to watch high-intensity true crime documentaries or dramas, such as Netflix’s Inventing Anna, your relationship is a tranquil one[/caption]
“Your viewing might seem a little macabre but it actually makes your relationship more empathic.
“According to a study by professor Amanda Vicary from Illinois Wesleyan University’s Centre for Natural Science, watching true crime has the potential to reduce anxiety, great for maintaining relationship harmony.
“You are less likely to be found having sex in bed, as you prefer to try positions around the home.”
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