A study published in the September 2009 issue of the journal Psychology and Aging found that spouses who used couple-focused words such as “we,” “our” and “us” when talking about a conflict also showed more affection, fewer negative behaviors such as anger, and lower physiological stress levels during the disagreement. Using words that expressed separateness, such as “I,” “you,” and “me,” during the discussion was associated with marital dissatisfaction.