Several phases of falling in love have been specified, and the power of falling in love as an emotional experience has been comprehensively studied.
‘Falling in love is madness’, many famous authors have stated. Robert Burton noted in the 17th century, that not only love is madness but also ”disease, spree, agony” and described in great detail the shaking and negative influence of love both on individuals and the whole society. This way, he also showed his respect for Francis Bacon who stated in 1557 quite resolutely at the end of the 16th century that “it is impossible to be in love and be wise”.
Later on, the definitions of the nature of falling in love have been presented more and more. It may be limerence, the disappearance of individuality, crystallizing, or an active power that connects people with each other. It makes isolation and loneliness disappear providing the feeling of unity and security. It is characterized by a range of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social, genetic, neural, and endocrine activity.
All this and much more are written in the myths, fairytales, and stories of humankind already centuries ago in the same way as today. Falling in love is really ”a many-splendored thing” as was the name of Han Suyi’s novel from 1952. This is also in line with John Lee’s famous love typology; he used this typology to analyze the conceptions and essence of love through the analogy of colors and the colors of a rainbow. Lee distinguishes six ways of falling in love of which three (eros, ludus, and storge) are the primary and three (mania, pragma, and agape) secondary ways of falling in love. Several various combinations are located between these dimensions.
Author(s) Details:
Kaarina Määttä
Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland.
Recent Global Research Developments in Predictors of Intimacy in Relationships Among Young Adults
Patterns of Romantic Relationship Experiences and Psychosocial Adjustment:
- Gonzalez Avilés, Finn, and Neyer (2021) investigated the diversity of romantic relationship experiences during adolescence and their connection to psychosocial adjustment in both adolescence and young adulthood [1].
- They identified three groups based on romantic involvement: late starters, moderate daters, and frequent changers. Continuous singles (those without romantic experiences) were also included.
- Findings revealed that continuous singles reported lower life satisfaction and higher loneliness compared to moderate daters. Late starters also showed differences in well-being.
- This study highlights the developmental significance of romantic experiences for short- and long-term well-being.
Adolescent Interpersonal Skills and Young Adult Romantic Relationships:
- Another study explored how adolescent interpersonal skills (such as assertiveness and positive engagement) and family processes (family climate, parenting practices) influence young adult romantic relationship functioning [2].
- Understanding how these factors interact can shed light on the development of strong, loving bonds and effective problem-solving skills in romantic relationships.
References
- Gonzalez Avilés, T., Finn, C., & Neyer, F. J. (2021). Patterns of romantic relationship experiences and psychosocial adjustment from adolescence to young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(3), 550–562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01350-7
- Xia, M., Fosco, G.M., Lippold, M.A. et al. A Developmental Perspective on Young Adult Romantic Relationships: Examining Family and Individual Factors in Adolescence. J Youth Adolescence 47, 1499–1516 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0815-8