Is it love or just infatuation?
In honor of Valentine’s Day, UC Berkeley psychologists and neuroscientists Robert Levenson, Emiliana Simon-Thomas and Arthur Aron talked about the differences between attraction, early-relationship passion and enduring love during a Facebook Live Q&A session hosted by University of California multimedia director Larissa Branin.
Topics include the addictive high of a new romantic relationship, the crushing low of heartbreak, the pros and cons of online dating, the importance of working through conflicts, the benefits of intimacy, gratitude, and sharing memories, as well as the need to move on from unhealthy relationships.
Here’s a sampling of stories about the panelists’ previous research:
Creating love in the lab: The 36 questions that spark intimacy
Forever Valentine: Study shows marriage gets better in old age
Scientists link DNA to marital satisfaction
Couples who say ‘we’ have a better shot at solving conflicts