Edgar Farmer wanted to make sure the students attending "Living Like the Huxtables" would remember that love is more than just a word.

"Love is an action. You demonstrate your love," he said.

Farmer and his wife, Barbara, gave a presentation on building and maintaining a healthy relationship, which was held in the Chambers Building and sponsored by the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Edgar and Barbara both work for Penn State -- he is the head of the Department of Learning and Performance Systems and she is director of multicultural affairs for the College of Information Science and Technology.

The Farmers have been married for 41 years, and they used their time together as basis for their presentation

Students in attendance were asked to choose the topics of discussion and came up with a list that included communication, relationship longevity and trust.

Edgar and Barbara addressed each of the topics first, giving the male and female perspective on each one. They particularly stressed the importance of good communication in a relationship.

"That's why we have two ears and one mouth -- we should listen twice as much as we talk," Edgar said.

They also introduced the "Rosenthal effect:" the idea that those who expect more get more.

The Farmers gave the students a copy of a column they wrote for the Centre Daily Times, referring to it throughout the night and using it to supplement their presentation.

In the article, they detailed the "five love languages" and presented them to the audience. The "love languages" included spending quality time together and giving gifts.

Barbara showed off her "bling" for the students to highlight the idea of gift giving.

"This is not what I sought, but what I've been given," she said.

After the initial discussion, the students split into two groups, with Barbara leading the women and Edgar leading the men.

The two groups discussed the same topics before reconvening and going through them together.

As a whole, the group talked about conflicts and how to diffuse them. The Farmers gave personal anecdotes to help illustrate solutions.

"One of my husband's favorite responses when I get like that is, 'I think you need a nap,' " Barbara said, referring to when she is irritated.

Edgar told the men to think about how their ladies feel they're treated -- especially when their girlfriend is not with them.

"It comes down to, when she's not with you, how do you make her feel?" he said.