A grain of science:
Apr 20, 2005
HELEN Fisher, an anthropologist and author of <i>The Anatomy of Love</i> is excited about the results of her ongoing research. She is doing brain scans of people in love to see if the emotion has specific neurological roots.
HELEN Fisher, an anthropologist and author of The Anatomy of Love is excited about the results of her ongoing research. She is doing brain scans of people in love to see if the emotion has specific neurological roots.
According to Fisher, from an evolutionary perspective the experience of love is just nature’s way of getting people to mate efficiently.
Feelings like lust may be driven by hormones, Fisher speculates. And infatuation may have something to do with brain chemicals that affect mood, sleep, appetite and other basic functions.
Body symmetry is another key to what makes love grow, according to New Mexico biology professor Randy Thornhill. “Symmetry in the body and face signals are indicative of a good set of genes,†Thornhill claims.
And that is why people, especially women, seek out a partner with symmetric features, the theory goes.
Symmetric males are apparently better at mating. In 16 studies that looked at the symmetry of the face, ears, elbows, wrists, hands, feet and ankles, more symmetric males were found to have had a greater number of sexual partners, cheated more and were less committed to their romantic relationships. Oh yeah, and they lied more.
According to Fisher, from an evolutionary perspective the experience of love is just nature’s way of getting people to mate efficiently.
Feelings like lust may be driven by hormones, Fisher speculates. And infatuation may have something to do with brain chemicals that affect mood, sleep, appetite and other basic functions.
Body symmetry is another key to what makes love grow, according to New Mexico biology professor Randy Thornhill. “Symmetry in the body and face signals are indicative of a good set of genes,†Thornhill claims.
And that is why people, especially women, seek out a partner with symmetric features, the theory goes.
Symmetric males are apparently better at mating. In 16 studies that looked at the symmetry of the face, ears, elbows, wrists, hands, feet and ankles, more symmetric males were found to have had a greater number of sexual partners, cheated more and were less committed to their romantic relationships. Oh yeah, and they lied more.