Love
Navigating intimacy in a shifting world: decoding the complex chemistry and psychology of human connection. A comprehensive exploration of love in all its forms.
Level 1
When dating rewards indifference, nobody falls in love
Hookup culture told everyone to act unbothered. Bill-splitting became a political statement. Dating profiles turned into shopping lists. An Evie Magazine essay argues that modern romance lost its warmth because we traded vulnerability for performance, and both men and women came out emptier.
videoBeyond fairy-tale love: reclaiming realistic expectations in relationships
Why the end of the Disney glow can be the beginning of something deeper. The Myth we all inherited From…
videoLove your enemies: a buddhist guide to defeating anger, ego, and self-loathing
In their collaborative work Love Your Enemies: How to Break the Anger Habit & Be a Whole Lot Happier, Robert…
We create a false self in early life to meet external expectations and cope with childhood experiences – James Hollis
James Hollis explores the psychological and spiritual upheaval of midlife as a necessary and meaningful rite of passage. Drawing from…
Couples who post less about their love on social media are happier
A survey by the photography site Shotkit asked people in relationships how often they share “couple content” on social media…
Level 2
Small inequalities in relationships may strengthen bonds, but large ones cause harm
How dating someone perceived as being “out of one’s league” can impact relationships. While minor disparities between partners, such as…
Hugs alleviate pain, anxiety, and depression
Touch interventions show consistent health benefits A large-scale systematic review and meta-analysis of 137 studies reveals that touch interventions, such…
Your brain responds differently to love for a child, a partner, or a pet
A Finnish team used fMRI while 55 adults in relationships with children heard short stories about love toward a partner, a child, friends, strangers, pets, or nature, then held each feeling during a brief imagery period. Interpersonal love engaged social-cognition regions more than pet-only or nature love; during imagery, parental love showed striatum and thalamus activation not reported for the other love types; pet owners differed from non-owners on pet trials. Results reflect one cohort, culture, and task design.
Letting go of people who are not ready to love you protects your well being
This opinion piece argues that you should stop investing energy in one sided relationships and choose people who are ready…
Love and health: how affection shapes stress biology
Affection does not rewrite DNA, but supportive relationships can soften stress responses, influence cortisol, and shape some patterns of gene expression.
videoWhat a divorce lawyer who has seen thousands of breakups learned about love
The complexities of modern marriage, including unrealistic expectations, the strain of constant comparison through social media, and outdated societal norms,…
Level 3
Sarcasm can undermine relationship warmth, research finds
What sounds witty in the moment often sounds wounding to the person you care about most. Sarcasm relies on a…
videoHarmony is a lifelike robot designed to be a romantic companion
The launch of Harmony, the world’s first talking sex robot, introduces new ethical and social dilemmas. While designed to simulate…
How relationship happiness changes from early love to old age
Relationship satisfaction tends to drop from age 20 to 40, hits its lowest point at 40, then goes up until about age 65. After that, it stays pretty stable.
Relationship satisfaction generally goes down in the early years of a relationship, especially in the first 10 years. Then it goes up until about 20 years, and then it might go down again.
The presence of children is associated with a lower mean level of relationship satisfaction.
Cheating risk often rises near year seven of marriage, then drops for women and can rise later for men
The popular idea of a 7 year itch has some support in research. Surveys suggest that both the wish to…
ChadGPT: women are using AI chatbots as virtual boyfriends
AI technology can replace some positive aspects of a relationship: chatting, generating love songs, recommending restaurants. AI can replicate some aspects but face challenges in areas like social media and personal connections.
Men have always preferred thin women
Narrow waist is consistently described as beautiful in British literature, ancient Indian and Chinese literature. Despite cultural differences, a thin waist is a universal and timeless symbol of feminine beauty, reflecting the evolutionary association between health and attractiveness.