Husbands! Wives! Ever wondered whether you're really doing a good job? At being a husband or wife, that is? Well, wonder no more - because at last, there's a definitive test on a subject.
Or rather: in the 1930s, someone devised a definitive test on the subject. Because that's when the 'Marital Rating Scales' below were created - by George W. Crane, MD, PhD, of Northwestern University, Illinois. As the American Psychological Association says in its article on the history of Crane's test, it was designed to give couples feedback on their marriages - and was a precursor to the sort of 'scientific' approach to matchmaking now used by dating services like eHarmony. Although, thankfully, eHarmony doesn't brand you as either "very superior" or a "failure". (We think. Guardian Soulmates might, though.)
So how does it work? Well, ladies, you need to fill it in about your husband - adding five points if he remembers your birthday and deducting five points if he compares you unfavourably to his mother. And gents, you need to fill it in about your good lady wife - adding one point if she can carry on an interesting conversation and deducting one point if she wears red nail polish. Yes, if you thought the sexism displayed in Mad Men was horrific, it ain't got nothing on the 'Marital Rating Scales'.
But enough of this wifey-style chit-chat! Do the test. And leave a comment below to tell us how your partner scored. And if you're feeling brave? Tell us how your partner scored you.
THE WIFE'S CHART:
THE HUSBAND'S CHART:
