The silent treatment. The cold shoulder. Stonewalling. Regardless of what you choose to call it, ignoring ― or being evasive toward your partner during an argument ― is a huge communication sin in a relationship.

Stonewalling may seem like an easy way out of an argument, but do it enough and it’s bound to cause problems. In fact, according to renowned researcher John Gottman , routine stonewalling is one of the biggest predictors of divorce .

For 40 years, the psychology professor and his team at the Gottman Institute have studied couples’ interactions to determine the key predictors of divorce — or as Gottman calls them, “the four horsemen of the apocalypse .” (A bit dramatic sounding, sure, but we’re talking about your marriage here ― go along with it. )

Surprisingly, th

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