Love – It’s All About Quality!

Romantic love isn’t the same as passionate love. Though many people believe romantic and passionate love are the same, lead researcher Bianca P. Acevedo, says, that it isn’t.

According to Acevedo’s research, romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, but it doesn’t have the obsessive component.
It is the obsessive component of romantic love that also includes feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. While this kind of love helps drive the shorter relationships, it doesn’t drive the longer term relationships. A new study has revealed, contrary to different beliefs, that romantic love can sustain a lifetime and can pave way for happier and healthier relationships.

The researchers made a review of 25 studies comprising of 6,070 individuals in short- and long-term relationships to discern whether romantic love brings in more satisfaction. They classified the relationships as romantic or passionate love or a relationship that is of friendship-like love. They also categorised them as short or long term relationships.

The researchers examined 17 short-term relationship studies involving 18- to 23-year-old college students who were either single, dating, or married, with relationships averagely lasting for four years.

They also examined 10 long-term relationship studies involving middle-aged couples who were married about 10 years or more.

The results of the study suggest that those who were romantically in love without the obsession element were more satisfied and successful in both long term and short term relationships.

Relationships that were more like a companion-like love were moderately satisfied in both short and long term relationships.

Those who were passionately involved were more satisfied in short term relationships when compared to long term.

Couples who showed more satisfaction in their relationships also reported leading a happier life as well as experiencing higher self-esteem.

According to Acevedo the feeling that a partner is ‘there for you’ paves way for a good relationship and breeds feelings of romantic love.

The result of the study is found in the March issue of ‘Review of General Psychology,’ published by the American Psychological Association.