hat does our brain have to do with our feelings of love and romance? New research into brain physiology has found that our brain is more involved than you might think. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain functioning revealed that certain areas of the brain experience increases in blood flow when a newly in love man or woman looks at a photograph of his or her romantic partner (Aron et al., 2005). Over 2,500 brain images from 17 men and women who rated themselves as "intensely in love" were analyzed using MRI technology (which monitors increases in blood flow indicating neural activity). Strong activity was noted in the motivation areas of the brain, where an overabundance of cells produce or receive the neurotransmitter dopamine (Aron et al., 2005).
Dopamine has been found to be critical for motivation. In fact, neuroscientists have found that men and women who gamble have increased dopamine when they are winning (Carey, 2005). The researchers concluded that romantic love serves as a motivation for a man or woman to reach a goal. In this case, the goal is to spend time with the love interest.
The area of our brain responsible for sexual arousal was also found to be stimulated in these newly in love participants, but it was the motivation area that received the most stimulation. There is a biological urge that comes from sexual arousal, but also from new love (Carey, 2005). The researchers hypothesized that when the motivation area is stimulated, a person is motivated to get rewards with his or her love interest above all else. Think about it for a minute.
When we are hungry, thirsty, or tired, the motivation area of our brain is stimulated, motivating us to find food, water, or a place to sleep. When we are romantically in love, this same area motivates us to make the connection and seek out the person we wish to be with.
This may also explain why new love often feels so crazy. Feelings of euphoria, sleeplessness, a preoccupation of thoughts of the partner, and an inability to concentrate are all common when a person is newly in love. Some college students describe new love as a "drug," one that often leads them to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Perhaps it is a result of the increased blood flow to our motivation center—and the increases in dopamine—that motivate us to get more of what we desire.
Although more research is needed on neuroscience, brain activity, and emotions, it has been suggested that this research might help us understand why people with autism often are indifferent to romantic relationships (Carey, 2005). It could be due to the atypical brain development in the motivation areas of brain, which is typical in those with autism. In addition, this research may also help us understand why love changes as the years go by. The strength of activity in the motivation section of the brain has been found to weaken as the length of the relationship increases (Carey, 2005). In the future, research into brain physiology will continue to teach us more about the physiology of romantic love.
Source: Aron et al., 2005.
disclosure than the French or Americans. Americans also have stereotypical gender roles; but, because of the highly individualistic culture in the United States, Americans tend to have high levels of confusion and ambivalence about relationships. Interestingly, the French, who have a culture with high individual motivation yet with a strong group orientation, and who also have a more balanced view of masculine and feminine gender roles, had the lowest degree of conflict in intimate relationships. Thus, culture plays a role in how we experience and express both love and intimacy.
A cross-cultural study of college students from Brazil, India, Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Australia, the United States, England, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Pakistan studied the perceived significance of love for the building of a marriage. Researchers found that love is given highest importance in Westernized nations and the lowest importance in the less developed Asian nations (Levine et al., 1995). We will talk more about marriage in Chapter 9.