People are using the 'bird test' to figure out if their relationships are solid or not

• A new trend on TikTok is putting relationships to the test.
• The test involves seeing how a partner reacts to something random or insignificant, like spotting a bird.

People are hopping on a viral TikTok trend to figure out if their relationships are solid or not — and it's actually based on research.

In a TikTok posted on Tuesday, content creator Lyss Lyss, or @alyssacardib, shared how shocked she was to know that some people were unaware of the "bird test." "I live and die by the fucking bird test because it never fails," she said.

She went on to explain how the test can predict if a couple's relationship will last or not. The video has garnered 4.1 million views and some 500,000 likes at the time of writing.

"If you say something that can be deemed insignificant and your partner responds with, like, genuine curiosity," Lyss said in the video. "That's a really good sign that your relationship is going to last a really long time," she continued. In contrast, she added that if your partner blows you off, it's not a good sign.

Lyss said that the test is not limited to romantic relationships and shared how she does this with friends as well. She told the story of sitting at a Starbucks with a friend and pointing out a woodpecker she saw out the window. They ended up having a conversation about the woodpecker and have remained close since.

As pointed out by several people in the video's comments, the "bird test" is based on research by John Gottman, a psychologist who has studied relationships for over 40 years. Gottman has found that couples who engage with each other often last longer together. He describes it as a bid for connection — and couples can either respond by "turning toward" or "turning away."

Gottman published a research paper in the Journal of Marriage and the Family in 1998 sharing the results of a study based on 130 newlyweds from Puget Sound, Washington. He met with the couples soon after they got married and then again six years later. He found that married couples who remained together turned towards each other 86% of the time. Couples who turned away, ended up in failed marriages 67% of the time.

People online have been trying out the bird test with their partners. On TikTok, the hashtag #birdtest has garnered seven million views.

A TikTok user shared a video showing how she told her fiancé she spotted a cardinal. He responded by Googling if there was a special meaning to seeing a cardinal, she said.

"It's seen as a positive symbol from departed loved ones who are sending their love," a man seated on a couch in the video said. People online commented that her fiancé passed the test with flying colors.

It's not the first time a relationship test has gone viral on TikTok. In recent months, the "Water" dance test went viral on the platform, where people tested their partners if they would turn to check out the provocative dance popularized by the singer Tyla.

Lyss Lyss and Gottman did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside office hours.