
Contents
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Universality and Cultural Differences Universality and Cultural Differences
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Ultimate Functions Ultimate Functions
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Evidence from Biology Evidence from Biology
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Dopamine Dopamine
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Serotonin Serotonin
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Norepinephrine Norepinephrine
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Oxytocin Oxytocin
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Cortisol Cortisol
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Brain Activations over Time Brain Activations over Time
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Benefits of Romantic Love Benefits of Romantic Love
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Positive Feelings Positive Feelings
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Physical Outcomes Physical Outcomes
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Cognition Cognition
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Partner Benefits Partner Benefits
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Drawbacks of Romantic Love Drawbacks of Romantic Love
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Physiology and Stress Physiology and Stress
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Addiction Addiction
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Mental Health Mental Health
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Jealousy Jealousy
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Suicide Suicide
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Falling out of Love Falling out of Love
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Timeline and Process Timeline and Process
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Conclusions Conclusions
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References References
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11 Romantic Love
Get accessJaclyn K. Doherty, Graduate Center, City University of New York
Claudia C. Brumbaugh, Department of Psychology, Queens College
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Published:22 May 2024
Cite
Abstract
Humans are uniquely designed to be affected in numerous ways by romantic love. Romantic love is an intense feeling that attracts people to one another and keeps them together for some length of time. Thus, romantic love is thought to serve the purpose of relationship maintenance and the biological function of passing on the genes of the two individuals involved when offspring result. This chapter discusses the universality and ultimate functions of romantic love, as well as how romantic love is reflected in human biology (e.g., via brain and hormonal processes). Considering both psychological and physiological outcomes, the authors then weigh the benefits (e.g., elation and energy) and drawbacks (e.g., obsession and suicide) of romantic love. The chapter ends with a discussion of the life-span trajectory of romantic love and what happens after romantic love has “done its job.”
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