The Science of Love: Understanding the Brain Mechanisms Involved in Attraction
Throughout history, love has been an emotion that has puzzled many. It has been expressed in many forms, from poetry to scientific research, all in an attempt to understand love’s and attraction’s dynamics. In the past decade, however, scientists have been able to unravel more and more data on how the human brain is wired towards love and how exactly does the attraction work on a brain level.
The Role of Neurotransmitters
There are certain chemical messengers in the brain known as neurotransmitters that play a crucial role in romantic feelings. One of them, Dopamine, also described as the feel-good chemical, is the main contributor to why people fall in love. Whenever the emotion of love or attraction is registered, there is a spike in dopamine in the reward pathway of the brain, causing huge pleasure and craving.
Furthermore, oxytocin, the ‘cuddle hormone’ also functions in love. This hormone assists bonding, and is therefore known as the attachment hormone. Released during physical touch such as caressing or even kissing, oxytocin makes people feel connected to each other. It also encourages attachments, thereby playing an important role in enhancing social relationships favorable for long-term couple bonding.
The Role of Different Brain Areas
Aside from fear, several other areas in the brain are also essential in processing love and attraction. The areas engaged in the feelings of love and attraction, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens, are again associated with the brain’s reward circuitry. These areas are activated even more during the process of anticipating or engaging the loved one, the state which adds to the euphoric feeling of being in love.
Further, the attention and emotional control structure in the brain known as the prefrontal cortex is active when we judge the potential compatibility of partners or decide on the viability of a long term relationship. It enables us evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of such decisions as well as consider their consequences in the foreseeable future.
Understanding the Kinsey Attraction Perspective
From the viewpoint of evolution, attraction is simply a way of controlling who does the selecting of mates, and reproductive fitness and genetic compatibility are some of the factors that are taken into consideration. Characteristics such as physical appearance can be an example of a trait that promotes health and fertility without directly understanding that these traits will be essential in choosing a mate.
Also, research goes on to show that, there are pheromones which are chemical signals produced by certain individuals which people may be attracted to without their knowledge and these tell which ones will be attracted to whom.
The impression of love is subject to cultural influences
Although love and attraction are predominantly biological experiences; cultural expectations determine how these experiences are felt within the societies. Societies may deem certain attributes more important than others resulting to the individuals’ ideals of the opposite sex or relationships in general.
Conclusion
Love is defined as biological processes rather than structure within the brain and environment but rather as activities in the brain and the environment which are constantly at work with each other on different levels of cultures. The native understanding of why people feel drawn towards one another reveals the deeply intriguing pursuits of human existence.