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■ SEX IN REAL LIFE What Does Love Have to Do With It?
What Is Love?
Love in Other Times and Places
The Forms and Measure of Love
Romantic Versus Companionate Love The Colors of Love: John Alan Lee
■ PERSONAL VOICES Love in Song Love Triangles: Robert Sternberg Can We Measure Love?
Theories: Where Does Love Come From?
Behavioral Reinforcement Theories Cognitive Theories Physiological Arousal Theories Evolutionary Theories Love From Childhood to Maturity Childhood Adolescence
Adult Love and Intimacy
Attraction
■ PERSONAL VOICES If You Love Something, Set It Free Attraction in Different Cultures
■ SEX IN REAL LIFE Love—It’s All in Your Head Long-Term Love and Commitment
■ PERSONAL VOICES Murray and Frances: A Tale of Committed Love
Loss of Love
■ SEX IN REAL LIFE Love in Times of E-mail, Chat Rooms, and Instant Messaging
Love, Sex, and How We Build Intimate Relationships
Love and Sex Developing Intimacy Skills The Dark Side of Love
Chapter Review
Chapter Resources
Sexuality NOW Go to www. thomsonedu. com to link to SexualityNow, your online study tool.
any years ago in a small Pennsylvania town mimed Roseto, medical professionals discovered that the townspeople had significantly lower rates of heart attacks than the people of any of the neighboring towns (Egolf et al., 1992). The people in the town were of similar age as people living in nearby towns. They smoked cigarettes, ate similar foods, and saw the same healthcare professionals. People wondered what was happening. It turns out the town of Roseto was founded in 1882 by Italian immigrants and had many three-generation families. As such, the town had a strong sense of community, love, loyalty, and ties to one another. These connections were found to reduce stress and improve the health and well-being of all of Roseto’s townspeople. The “Roseto Effect,” as it was known, continued until the 1960s, when early family tradition began to diminish and the rates of heart disease began to increase.
This study illustrates the power of intimacy and love and the impact these have on our health (Ornish, 1999). When people love each other, talk to each other, and share their inner selves, their immune systems may actually become stronger than people who isolate themselves or are emotionally withdrawn (see the accompanying Sex in Real Life, “What Does Love Have to Do With It?” for more information). This works in reverse as well. In the last chapter we talked about communication problems and negativity in intimate relationships. Arguments between intimate partners have been found to weaken the immune system and render the couple more at risk for illness (Caldwell, 2003).
You might be wondering why we begin the chapter with such a story. Love and the ability to form loving, caring, and intimate relationships with others are important for our emotional health but also for our physical health. In this chapter, we will talk about the forms and measures of love, where love comes from, love throughout the life cycle, and building intimate relationships. Before we do, try answering this question: What exactly is love?.
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