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Love Endures, Sort Of: Study

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 20, 2009 1:47 PM CDT

(Newser) – Romantic love is more enduring than previously thought, says a new study in the Review of General Psychology. Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 people, some newly coupled, some married for decades, and found that 13% still reported high levels of romance. That may not sound like much, but it was still surprisingly high, researchers say. Until now, it’s been assumed that romance inevitably subsides over time.

Researchers arrived at the unexpected result by distinguishing between romantic love and passionate obsession. “The obsessive component is generally combined with the romantic component. Thought of that way, it looks like it's diminishing,” said one researcher. “But if you assess the romantic love differently than the obsessive component, it happens for a greater proportion than what was generally thought.”

Love might just be able to endure, a new study finds.
Love might just be able to endure, a new study finds.   (Shutterstock)
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These people are often very relationship focused. Their relationship is something that is very central to their lives, something they spend time on, work on, really care about.
- Bianca Acevedo, postdoctoral researcher at University of California, Santa Barbara who authored the study

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
riffran
Mar 22, 2009 6:53 AM CDT
good try...very pre-school..but good try
riffran
Mar 21, 2009 5:42 AM CDT
never put that much thought into it...I just know I luvs my wifey...lol...and can't ever imagine being without her .....
freethemall
Mar 21, 2009 5:25 AM CDT
The distinction that is nearly never made is that between romantic love and mature love. If both marriage partners are mature they will, in all likely hood, make their marriage work. This is especially true if they have children. On the other hand, if either partner is so immature as to be obsessed with romance, then the marriage will likely fail, and if there all children they suffer. This, just so their parents can find someone they are "in love" with, to replace the person they have "fallen out of love with.

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