Over the past two decades, scientific study has increased its focus on the nature of love. Some experts have suggested that there are three basic styles of love. One theory suggests that love is a combination of intimacy, passion, and commitment. Other theories suggest that love also has religious and spiritual significance. However, due to the complexity of the emotions involved, it is difficult to define love.
The first type of love is based on physical attraction and sexual intimacy. The second type is based on deeper feelings. This type of love requires a lot of time to develop and is not as committed as the former two styles. While many people fall for this type of love, erotic lovers often feel uncomfortable committing to the relationship and are often content ending it quickly. The third style of love is called storge, and is characterized by trust and a sense of family.
When compared to other species, the human life span is much longer, which means we rely on adults for a long time to survive and develop our skills. That makes love an especially important aspect of human evolution. In fact, scientists have identified brain regions that are activated when a person feels passionate love for someone.
The study also discovered that romantic love reduces activity in the frontal cortex, which is crucial for judgment and reason. The scientists speculate that this suspension of reason may help facilitate procreation and coupling. Despite the differences between the two types of love, the general idea is that all is fair in love. It is not a gender-specific concept and can be expressed by anyone.
Being in love is a feeling that makes us feel safe and secure with the person we are with. Often, there are ups and downs and it is important to seek out help when necessary to ensure that you and your partner are happy and in harmony. This can be done through therapy or counseling. In many cases, seeking help can save a relationship.
In the ancient Chinese tradition, love is based on the heart, and the Chinese character for love contains a heart in the middle. The Chinese language recognizes two main philosophical underpinnings of love: Confucianism emphasizes the actions of the heart while Mohism places emphasis on universal love. Confucianism, for example, emphasizes duty and attitude in benevolence, and the Hebrew word Chesed, or loving-kindness, emphasizes unconditional love.
The most direct form of love communication is physical touch. Touch is a natural human behavior that calms and heals people. Knowing the different love languages of your partner can help you communicate better with each other. The five basic styles of love are explained in the book The 5 Love Languages. It can also be helpful to learn more about yourself.