2. Chapter 6
Love

3. Topics to Cover What is love? Is love universal?
Biological aspects of love
The social contexts of love
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

4. Identify various definitions of love and discuss three key theories that categorize types of love.
What is love?
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

5. Various Definitions of Love
What is love?
Various Definitions of Love
“Physiological reaction that engenders proximity seeking behavior.”
“Search for friendship, beauty, and spiritual connection.”
In this text:
“Subjective feeling of emotional connection with another person, often accompanied by intense desire to be near, care for, protect, or share one’s life with that person.”
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

6. Passionate Love Versus Companionate Love
What is love?
Passionate Love Versus Companionate Love
Passion and romance characterize relationships early on
Affiliation, deep respect, and “best friendship” evolve over time
Passion is a predictor of relationship satisfaction
Intimacy
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

7. Sternberg’s Triangular Theory
What is love?
Sternberg’s Triangular Theory
Passion
Commitment
Intimacy
Infatuation = passion only
Empty love = commitment only
Romantic love = passion + intimacy
Consummate love = passion + intimacy + commitment
Love stories
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

8. Lee’s Styles of Love Eros: intense intimacy and commitment
What is love?
Lee’s Styles of Love
Eros: intense intimacy and commitment
Ludus: treated like a game
Storge: egalitarian, best friends
Pragma: rational choice
Mania: obsessive and insecure
Agape: complete devotion
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

9. Self-Expansion Theory
What is love?
Self-Expansion Theory
Focus on true love
Partners complete one another
Each partner a better person because of love
Like Agape and consummate love
Valued in both western and eastern ideologies
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

10. Discuss the cultural and historical trends around the conceptualization of love.
Is love Universal?
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

11. Is love universal?
Cultural Variations
Feelings of romantic love are ubiquitous around the world
Importance placed on romantic love varies
Most important to Western cultures
Elsewhere, not a valid reason to marry
Too much detracts from love of family and God
Extended family 5 Romantic love 6
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

12. Love Historically Marriage created to bind two families together
Is love universal?
Love Historically
Marriage created to bind two families together
Mutual political and/or financial benefit
Love not expected in marriage
Greek and Roman cultures
Love between men morally superior
Christianity and Love
Concubines and male escorts
Enlightenment period: individual pleasure
United States and the “pursuit of happiness”
Industrial Revolution
Emerging middle class
Focus on individual choice and power balance between men and women
Feminized Love
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

13. Gender Issues Men Women Androgynous Love Polyamory Love means action
Is love universal?
Gender Issues
Men
Love means action
Affection through teasing
Women
Show love through talking and feelings
Intimate sharing, sworn confidences
Viewed as superior to the way men love
Androgynous Love
Working poor versus middle class
Polyamory
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

14. Biological aspects of love
Explain the basic biochemistry underlying love relationships over time.
Biological aspects of love
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

15. Biological aspects of love
The Love Drugs
Connections with other critical to health and survival of humans and all mammals
Oxytocin and vasopressin
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

16. The Brain and Relationships
Biological aspects of love
The Brain and Relationships
The triune brain (three key levels)
Brain stem
Limbic brain
Shaped by families
Dysregulation has profound effects
Neocortex
Use language to express limbic brain
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

17. Neurochemistry and the Development of Love
Biological aspects of love
Neurochemistry and the Development of Love
Philematology
When kissing, cortisol 6 oxytocin 5
Limbic coregulation
The roles of dopamine and serotonin
Does love make us mad?
People in love and obsessive-compulsive disorder
Neurotransmitter similarities
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

18. The social contexts of love
Discuss the interpersonal and social contexts of love and related therapeutic procedures for improving love relationships.
The social contexts of love
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

19. Love and Attachment Theory
The social contexts of love
Love and Attachment Theory
Baby love
Harlow’s monkey studies
Babies attach because of comfort, touch, and protection
Human infants use caregivers as secure base
Dysregulation results when attachment is thwarted
Development of internal working models
Adult attachment
Secure versus insecure
We can modify our mate’s limbic system and attachment style
Affective reactivity
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

20. Macrosystem Forces Economics Cultural forces
The social contexts of love
Macrosystem Forces
Economics
Downturns lead more people to seek love
More wives outearning husbands
Cultural forces
Most people experience romantic love, but its expression, importance, and purpose differ
Illouz’s four love rituals
Temporal
Emotional
Spatial
Artifactual
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

21. Professional Help for Enhancing Love
The social contexts of love
Professional Help for Enhancing Love
Failure to resolve struggles for identity and deeper emotional wounds
Emotion-focused couples therapy
Developing a sense of empathy
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

22. Chapter Summary
Identify various definitions of love and discuss three key theories that categorize types of love.
Discuss the cultural and historic trends around the conceptualization of love.
Explain the basic biochemistry underlying love relationships over time.
Discuss the interpersonal and social contexts of love and related therapeutic procedures for improving love relationships.
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.

23. Open-access student resources
Mobile-friendly quizzes
Mobile-friendly eFlashcards
Learning objective summaries
Video and multimedia resources
SAGE journal articles
Checklist action plan
edge.sagepub.com/howem&f2e
Howe, Marriages & Families in the 21st Century 2e. SAGE Publishing, 2018.