Ep. 3: Your Mind on Love
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When it comes to love, science has been a bit slow to realize that romantic relationships don't have to be between one man and one woman. But, a lot of research can be salvaged since the various stages of love (excitement, nervousness, attachment...) are experienced pretty similarly for anyone, regardless of gender, culture or relationship structure.
So, what does happen to our brain, thoughts and behaviour when we fall in love? Neural data tells us that it's like addiction or even OCD, but how viable and useful are these comparisons really? We've also got some science-backed practical tips about what you might want to try on a first date, and the best ways to get over an ex.
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Academic Articles & Books
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Heteronormativity in psychological research: Thorne, S. R., Hegarty, P., & Hepper, E. G. (2019). Equality in theory: From a heteronormative to an inclusive psychology of romantic love. Theory & Psychology, 29(2), 240-257.
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History of LGBT research in psychology (Book): Hegarty, P. (2017). A recent history of lesbian and gay psychology: From homophobia to LGBT. Routledge.
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Review of neurobiological findings on love: de Boer, A., Van Buel, E. M., & Ter Horst, G. J. (2012). Love is more than just a kiss: a neurobiological perspective on love and affection. Neuroscience, 201, 114-124.
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Decreases in pain when viewing photos of a loved one:
Younger, J., Aron, A., Parke, S., Chatterjee, N., & Mackey, S. (2010). Viewing pictures of a romantic partner reduces experimental pain: Involvement of neural reward systems. PloS one, 5(10).
More neurobiology: Zeki, S. (2007). The neurobiology of love. FEBS letters, 581(14), 2575-2579.
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Cortisol increase when falling in love: Marazziti, D., & Canale, D. (2004). Hormonal changes when falling in love. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 29(7), 931-936.
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Case study on man who gets OCD symptoms when in love: Marazziti, D., & Stahl, S. M. (2018). Serotonin and love: supporting evidence from a patient suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 38(1), 99-101.
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Cultural differences: Landis, D., & O’Shea III, W. A. (2000). Cross-cultural aspects of passionate love: An individual differences analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31(6), 752-777.
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Misattribution of Arousal: White, G. L., Fishbein, S., & Rutsein, J. (1981). Passionate love and the misattribution of arousal. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(1), 56.
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Suspension bridge study: Dutton, D. G., & Aron, A. P. (1974). Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of personality and social psychology, 30(4), 510.
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Study injecting people with epinephrine: Schachter, S., & Singer, J. (1962). Cognitive, social, and physiological determinants of emotional state. Psychological review, 69(5), 379.
Lighter Reading
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When science is used to reinforce traditional ideas about relationships: TEDx by Dawn Maslar here
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Salon article by Berit Brogaard: ‘Love is like Cocaine’
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Harvard Science in the News Blog: ‘Love, Actually: The science behind lust, attraction, and companionship’