Kim Kardashian Divorce Illustrates Exactly Why People Split, Says Psychologist

If you were keeping up with the Kardashians, you probably saw the red flags that led to Kim Kardashian’s divorce from Kris Humphries.

If you didn’t, psychologist Melanie Tannenbaum used the couple’s short-lived marriage to illustrate exactly why people split up in an article for Scientific American.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were married for 72 days, and we were there for every uncomfortable minute of their relationship, which was documented on the reality TV showKeeping Up with the Kardashians.

According to Tannenbaum, the couple actually did us a solid by inviting us to watch their marriage fall apart, by providing us with a “play-by-play demonstration of exactly what not to do in your own romantic relationships.”

It’s a great article, which you can read in its entirety here, but the gist of it is that Kim and Kris followed a pretty concise formula that results in divorce.

That formula involves four key “tells,” called, believe it or not, the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (the apocalypse being your impending divorce).

They are: Contempt, criticism, stonewalling and defensiveness.

And yes, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries displayed every single one throughout the course of their televised marriage.

Check it out! Criticism:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/g261zQJnXEU” width=”420″ height=”315″]

Stonewalling:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/wpo5e7jHGqI” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Contempt:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/grBumqkW9JA” width=”420″ height=”315″]

Defensiveness:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/rFBH2y4Sbvk” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Kim seems to be doing better now that she’s settling down with Kanye West, but the two are understandably media shy after all of the criticism that rained down on her for her short marriage to Humphries.

Tannenbaum concludes:

“Regardless of whether or not Kim ties the knot for the third time, taking a good look at her past relationship behavior might help her figure out what went so terribly wrong in the past. Hopefully, she will bring less criticism and defensiveness into her relationship with Kanye, and maybe Kanye won’t be as likely to stonewall during arguments or treat Kim with contempt.”

Do you think there are lessons to be learned from Kim Kardashian’s divorce?

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