Research article summary (published 29 Apr 2006):

Romantic love and sexual desire in close relationships.

Full Abstract

Drawing on recent claims in the study of relationships, attachment, and emotion, the authors hypothesized that romantic love serves a commitment-related function and sexual desire a reproduction-related function. Consistent with these claims, in Study 1, brief experiences of romantic love and sexual desire observed in a 3-min interaction between romantic partners were related to distinct feeling states, distinct nonverbal displays, and commitment- and reproductive-related relationship outcomes, respectively. In Study 2, the nonverbal display of romantic love was related to the release of oxytocin. Discussion focuses on the place of romantic love and sexual desire in the literature on emotion.2006 APA, all rights reserved

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Author information

Author/s: Gonzaga, Gian C (GC); Turner, Rebecca A (RA); Keltner, Dacher (D); Campos, Belinda (B); Altemus, Margaret (M);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. giangonzaga(-atsign-)eharmony.com

Grants: 5 M01 RR-00079 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; 5T32MH15750-22 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Emotion (Washington, D.C.) (Emotion), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 6 (issue 2) : pp 163-79

Dates: Created 2006/06/13; Completed 2006/10/31; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16768550, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Affect Attitude - ethnology Biological Markers Cues Demography Ethnic Groups - psychology Expressed Emotion Facial Expression Female Humans

Interpersonal Relations Libido Love Male Nonverbal Communication Object Attachment Oxytocin - physiology Questionnaires Sexual Behavior - psychology Sexual Partners Social Desirability

Associated Chemicals: Biological Markers (0) ; Oxytocin (50-56-6)

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