completed intro- with possibilities of revisions

Introduction
It has been decided that the topic researched will be how love language communication influences marital satisfaction. It has been hypothesized that there are five love languages, including: words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, gift giving, and acts of service. In addition, individuals have a primary mode of love expression limited to those five (Chapman. 1992). When spouses communicate in their partners primary love language and it is recognized and received, then marital satisfaction increases. On the other hand if a one knows their spouse’s love language and does not communicate it effectively, it is not received. This produces a decline in marital satisfaction because there are not optimal feelings of love between partners. However, it is possible that there is not one primary love language. If there is positive communication and the “supposed” primary love language is not adhered to, there still could be high levels of marital satisfaction. As well high levels of marital satisfaction can be contributed to a combination of love languages instead of one dominant. If love language communication and marital satisfaction are related, then it is important to educate couples so they can enhance their marriage and prevent divorce.
Considering marital satisfaction can accurately be assessed, it is therefore of value to consider the contributing factors that lead to it. The factor that has been decided to be focused upon is how love language influences satisfaction in one’s marriage. We will study if people have a primary love language, if their partner knows what it is, and if that partner communicates in their love language. Then we will assess their martial satisfaction.
There has been a lot of research that has focused on marriage and the increasing divorce rate. Studies mention many factors contributing to marital satisfaction; therefore it is valuable to study Chapman’s idea of a primary love language to see if his opinion is of value. If it is, then there is a possibility to educate couples on ways to enhance their feelings of being loved and to love their partner. Because Chapman does not have supporting evidence of his findings, then it is needful for a study.
We have decided to test this hypothesis by asking couples themselves if they have a primary love language and if it is being communicated. Married couples will be answering a battery of questions designed to assess their preferred means of giving and receiving love. We will ask questions which have been designed by Chapman as well as our own which will not conform to Chapman’s rigid schema. We will be gathering samples from internet questionnaires, the mall, at work and on Weber State University campus. Despite widespread popularity and acceptance, it is important to scientifically assess the validity of the theory. Regardless of the findings, we believe conclusive evidence will be able to help couples communicate more effectively and strengthen marital bonds. Findings in this study will be inherently limited in scope in regards to marital satisfaction. While we believe that love expression is a large factor in overall marital satisfaction, there are many other major contributing factors. By doing this research study we hope to find a correlation between marital satisfaction and the communication of a primary love language.