New research has pinpointed specific bad behaviours most likely to end your relationship.

According to psychologist John Gottman, contemptuous acts significantly increase the probability your marriage will end in divorce.

John and his team at the Gottman Institute studied and analysed the behaviour of married couples for 40 years, Huffington Post reports.

Through this research, John was able to identify what he calls the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", aka the four signs your marriage is most likely doomed.

The strongest of these "horsemen" is contempt, John revealed. Apparently, expressing contempt for your partner through acts like eye-rolling, sarcasm and name-calling is a major relationship killer.

Criticism, defensiveness and stonewalling - or, shutting off from your partner - are the three other indicators things aren't working out.

The first step in curbing these bad behaviours is being aware of them.

However, psychologists believe it's important to stop the snide, sarcastic or cruel comments or "jokes", and spend more time concentrating or the correct way to show respect to your partner.