What’s the Science behind Falling in Love?

What’s the Science behind Falling in Love?

The role of natural chemicals and the effect of hormonal cocktails in a relationship.

The phrase ‘love at first sight’ is not something new to any of us. But the meaning of this phrase takes a whole new meaning when you are on the quest of finding a potential partner. For years I have wondered about the immensely intriguing and fascinating nature of love and how it has influenced our lives in one way or the other.

We have seen ample movies based on the topic of love, romance, sentiments, love at first sight and attraction between opposite sex. And even after all these decades of love feeding in the form of music and movies, we are just not ready to give up on it. We still have a liking for romantic movies and films, we still like to see how a man gets attracted to a woman and how they carry on their relation, despite having watched it innumerable times. 

Ever wondered why? The answer to this million dollar question lies deep down in the pharmacy lab of our body. From the first moment of attraction, to the time when you decide to bond with the special male or female for long enough to raise a family, everything is encoded, programmed and streamlined in the flawless chemical industry of the human body.

Let’s have a look at the different ways and stages through which these Cupid’s chemicals make men go gaga over female curves, or women get swooned over a masculine face.

The Three Stages of Falling in Love

·         Stage 1: Lust

Each stage of falling in love involves a different set of chemicals and hormones that influence the behavioral changes and patterns of an individual. The first stage is that of lust. This is primarily driven by sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen in males and females respectively. Researchers have proved that the implications and effects of testosterone are not just limited to men, but also play a major role in initiating a sex drive in women. In the words of Helen Fisher of Rutgers University these hormones "get you out looking for anything".   

·         Stage 2: Attraction

In the second stage of attraction the activity in the natural pharmaceutical lab of love becomes more proactive. In this stage people think of nothing else than their lover. They may even become irregular and indifferent about their appetite and sleep. Hence, the attraction stage can be said to be the one when the person is completely love-struck.  The biochemical changes that introduce such changes in our activity are adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin.

·         Stage 3: Attachment

Once through which the attraction stage in which people can be stuck forever, we move towards the stage where two people finally decide to start their own life long enough to raise a child. Pivotal at this stage is the role of two hormones that initiate and propagate this entire process.

• Oxytocin: Released by the nervous system, the hormone is well known for the production of milk in the female following child birth. However, this hormone is also thought to play an important role in strengthening the bond between husband and wife. According to biologists this hormone, released during orgasm increases bonding between the couple in the state of intimacy. Furthermore, a theory also goes that the more the couple has sex, the deeper is their bond.

• Vasopressin: Many biology students might know it as a hormone for regulating water percentage in the human body. Nevertheless, this hormone also plays a significant role in providing long term commitment in a relationship. Experiments have proved that the fall in vasopressin levels poses a serious threat to the sustainability of a relationship.

Natural Attraction Towards Opposite Sex

It is important to state here that we are not just attracted towards opposite sex physically, but also genetically. This further testifies the fact that the key to healthy and stable future generations lies in the form of genetic diversity. In order to prove this an experiment was conducted in which students were told to play the vigorous game of basketball. After the game ended, students were told to leave their sweaty shirts in the basketball court.

In the other phase of the experiment the unnamed shirts of the same players were presented to female students, who had to state which smell attracted them most. Based on the comments received and then upon DNA analysis, females who found male smell to be attractive was genetically diverse than her counterpart. Hence, it proved that even the simple sense of smelling can help you find the right partner for you, at least when considered on genetic grounds.

So, if you still don’t believe in the phenomenon of love, if you still see the attraction of opposite sex as mere infatuation, then the next time you fall for a guy or girl, do keep a checklist to have a record of the different stages from lust to attraction you go through. 

About the Author:

Nick Harris is a professional research and educational consultant who specializes in the fields of research writing. He is a masters in Mass Communication and has years of experience in the field of providing quality custom assignments and best assignment writing service.