Couples who frequently display affection in public report higher levels of relationship satisfaction, researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice have found.
The Polish research team examined the link between public displays of affection and romantic fulfillment by surveying more than 400 people aged 18 to 49 across three countries. Participants were asked how often they held hands, hugged, kissed, and declared their love in public, alongside rating their overall relationship satisfaction.
Overall, the study revealed a consistent positive correlation between public affection and how happy couples felt in their partnerships. The findings, published in the open-access scientific journal PLOS One, show that open intimacy offers tangible psychological benefits for couples.
"Displays of romantic affection, both public and private, contribute to improved well-being, reduced stress, greater life satisfaction, and enhanced relationship satisfaction," the researchers explained in their study. "However, cultural norms significantly influence the expression of affection, particularly in public settings."
Cultural differences in public affection
To understand the global impact of public intimacy, the team collected data from 171 Polish participants, 170 Indonesian participants, and 120 Nepali participants. Across all three distinct societies, researchers observed that expressing affection publicly correlated with stronger relationship bonds.
"As we hypothesized, both private and public displays of affection were positively correlated with relationship satisfaction," the study authors noted.
Despite the universal positive link, the frequency and acceptance of public affection varied sharply between cultures. Polish participants reported the highest levels of public affection, whereas Indonesian participants reported the lowest frequency.
Poland, located in Central Europe, also registered the highest scores for private displays of affection. In contrast, participants from Indonesia, a nation in Southeast Asia with conservative societal norms, reported the highest prevalence of negative attitudes toward public intimacy.
"Negative attitudes and behaviors towards displaying affection publicly were most prevalent in Indonesia and least prevalent in Poland," the researchers added.
When measuring overall happiness, Nepali participants reported the highest level of relationship satisfaction, followed by Polish respondents, while Indonesian participants reported the lowest satisfaction levels.
"Nepali participants reported the highest level of relationship satisfaction, followed by Polish participants, with Indonesian participants reporting the lowest," the team explained.
Social media backlash and public opinion
The academic findings stand in sharp contrast to widespread public distaste for affection in public spaces, particularly in Britain. Many social media users regularly express frustration over seeing couples show intimacy in public.
"Seeing PDA will literally ruin my day," one user vented on TikTok, while another commentator added that "this should be illegal."
The release of the study follows recent calls from commuters in London to ban kissing on the London Underground rapid transit network. Passengers expressed discomfort with couples engaging in intense physical intimacy during daily commutes.
"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 told the Daily Mail. Another commuter added: "I think there's levels to it. Just have respect generally."
