In a household battleground that could rival the most intense political debates, research, conducted by StudyFinds, has exposed the not-so-friendly fire that ignites when partners wrestle for control of the television remote.
According to the study, which polled 2,000 couples who live together, the average couple engages in full-blown battles over TV choices a staggering four times a week.
Nearly 1 in 5 people (19%) experience daily frustration with their partner’s TV habits, leading 44% to escape to another room for peaceful viewing. Dads (51%) show greater concern than moms (31%) for remote control supremacy, while 37% of parents believe leaving their favorite seat open would reduce arguments.
Despite this, 56% prefer to battle their partner over the remote rather than their children. A third of respondents desire an extra screen for conflict-free entertainment.
Here a look at the top 15 television arguments:
1. The volume
2. Deciding what to watch
3. Asking too many questions while watching something
4. Talking over something
5. Spending too much time choosing what to watch
6. Falling asleep during something
7. Having to rewatch something because your partner missed it, due to falling asleep or leaving the room
8. Using a mobile phone or other devices during a show or a film
9. Hogging the remote
10. Losing or misplacing the remote
11. Watching an episode of a show you usually watch together without the other person
12. Deciding what time to watch a show
13. Who sits where or if someone is in your favorite seat
14. The height of the TV screen
15. Whether to have English voice-over for foreign shows or watch them in original language with subtitles
Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.