When it comes to wedding season, most people believe you either love it or hate it. But now there's research to suggest that absolutely no one is immune from weddings' romantic charms. And it's all thanks to our innate love of ceremonies.
"Rituals make people feel like they have a handle on things," Michael Norton of Harvard Business School explained to Mic.com. "People who feel they don't have some control over outcomes in their lives tend to suffer."
While weddings are joyous occasions, they can also be chaotic. The union of a couple often includes stresses like increased expenses, family pressure, and nerves regarding what comes next.
Psychologists Jennifer Whitson and Adam Galinsky explained to the CBC that it's human nature to develop and act on rituals when faced with obstacles and uncertainty — thus the reason people still choose to get married.
But rituals aren't blindly followed either. In many cases, people follow rituals like weddings because of the way they make them feel. In a 2011 study researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that in the case of both animals and humans, even simple rituals — such as bouncing a ball a certain number of times — were able to reduce stress and create a sense of calm.
So, wedding guests and bridal parties, this summer, remember to embrace the wedding chaos and fall a little more in love. And if you still need a little help to get the mood, check out this guide to getting through weddings if you hate wedding season (but we know you really don't).
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