Randy Ludwig The Biology of Love, Sex & Attraction

TNDY 402 FEB 14— 2011

OVERVIEW:

1. Types of LOVE
2. Biochemistry of LOVE
3. Applications
4. Conclusion
A few Stats:

Age of first marriage:

Women: 24.8 years

Men: 27.3 years

The probability of first marriage by age 30:

74% for women
61% for men.

The probability of first marriage by age 40:

86% for women
81% for men.

(Goodwin, McGill, & Chandra, 2009)

A few Stats:

17% of women & 25% of men have not married by age 35.

12% of women have not married by age 40,

17% of men have not married by age 40.

The probability that men and women will marry by age 40 is over
80%.

(Goodwin, McGill, & Chandra, 2009)

TYPES:

If it feels different, it is different

1. Lust (Sex)
2. Passionate Love (Infatuation/Romantic Love)
3. Companionate Love (Attachment)
4. Maternal Love
TYPES:

Lust/Sex:
• Non-selective sex, goodness of fit not important

Main Drivers:
1. Testosterone: (C19 H28 O2 )
• Increases sexual arousal in men & women
2. Estradiol: (C18 H24 O2 )
• Associated with higher sexual activity in women
• Higher masturbation rates
• Preference for “manly” faces
3. Dopamine & Norepinephrine

Key Brain Areas Involved:

1. Medial insula
2. Anterior cingulate
3. Hypothalamus
4. Nucleus accumbens
5. VTA
TYPES:

Passionate Love:
• Exhilaration and euphoria

Increases in:
1. Dopamine: (DA)
2. Norepinephrine: (NE)
3. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)

Decreases in:
Key Brain Areas Involved:
1. Serotonin: (5HT)
2. Frontal Lobe 1. Anterior cingulate
3. Amygdala 2. Hippocampus
4. Parietal lobe 3. Nucleus accumbens
4. Hypothalamus
Excess DA & NE tend to 5. VTA
reduce 5HT Obsession 6. Caudate nucleus
Pleasure Centers In the Brain:

Orbitofrontal
Cortex (OFC)
 Cingulate Gyrus Thalamus
2. ________ 3. ________

Corpus Callosum
1. ________

Nucleus Accumbens
11. ________

Cerebellum
4. ________
Hypothalamus
10. ________

Pituitary Gland
9. ________

Amygdala Hippocampus
8. ________ 5. ________
Medulla
Pons 6. ________
7. ________
TYPES:

Companionate Love:
• Calmer type of love, emotional bond
• EX: grandparents married for 30 years

Increases in:
1. Oxytocin: (OXT)
2. Vasopressin: (AVP)
• Chemically similar
• Produced in hypothalamus
• Released from pituitary gland
Decreases in:
1. Serotonin: (5HT)
TYPES:

Maternal Love:
• Parent & child

Increases in:
1. Oxytocin: (OXT)
2. Vasopressin: (AVP)
Brain implications:
• Hypothalamus not
Decreases in: activated
• Striatum is activated
1. Serotonin: (5HT) • Slight reduction in
frontal lobe
APPLICATIONS:

Prairie Voles:
• Socially monogamous (mate with others at times)
• High levels of OXT & AVP receptors
• If OXT & AVP blocked: they become promiscuous

Montane Voles:
• Promiscuous
• No long-term attachment
• OXT & AVP injections in
montane voles doesn’t lead to
monogamy—why?
Clark & Hatfield (1989):

• Students were approached by another

student of the opposite sex, who said:
• “I have been noticing you around campus
and I find you very attractive.”
• This was followed by one of three invitations:
– “Would you go out with me tonight?”
– “Would you come over to my apartment?”
– “Would you go to bed with me?”
Percent Saying “Yes” 100

80

60
About half of both
40 sexes said “yes” to
the date

20

0
Go Out Go to Apt. Go to Bed
Percent Saying “Yes” 100

80

60
About half of both
40 sexes said “yes” to
the date

20

0
Go Out Go to Apt. Go to Bed
Percent Saying “Yes” 100

80

60 Not a single
About half of both woman said
sexes said “yes” to “yes” to the
40
the date sexual
invitation
20

0
Go Out Go to Apt. Go to Bed
Percent Saying “Yes” 100

80

60 Not a single
About half of both woman said
sexes said “yes” to “yes” to the
40
the date sexual
invitation
20

0
Go Out Go to Apt. Go to Bed
 Men were even more If men said “No,”
likely to say “yes” to the then they typically
100 apologized and/or
sexual invitation
offered an excuse
such as “I’m
Percent Saying “Yes”

80 dating someone”

60 Not a single
About half of both woman said
sexes said “yes” to “yes” to the
40
the date sexual
invitation
20

0
Go Out Go to Apt. Go to Bed
 Mate Preferences of Women

• Economic Resources
• Good Financial Prospects
• High Social Status
• Older Men
• Ambition and Industriousness
• Dependability and Stability
• Athletic Prowess
• Good Health and Physical Appearance
• Love and Commitment
• Willingness to Invest in Children
 Mate Preferences of Males

• Desire women who are:

– Intelligent, kind, humorous, understanding, &
healthy
– Similar in terms of values, personality, and
religious beliefs
 In Addition...
• Youth
• A cue for fertility
 Mate Preferences of Males

• Youth
• Physical Beauty
• full lips, clear skin, smooth skin, clear eyes,
lustrous hair, good muscle tone, &
attractive body fat distribution
• Behavior: youthful gait, animated facial
expression, & high energy level
– “Average” & symmetrical faces are more
attractive
 Mate Preferences of Males
• Youth
• Physical Beauty
• Body Fat and the Critical Waist-to-Hip
Ratio (WHR)
– Universal preference across cultures...
– .70 is optimal
References:

Clark, R.D., & Hatfield, E. (1989). Gender differences in receptivity oto

sexual offers. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 20, 771-782.
Fisher, J, Aron, A, & Brown, L.L. (2005). Romantic Love: an fmri study
of a neural mechanism for mate choice. The Journal of
Comparative Neurology. 493:58, 58-62.
Fisher, H.E., Aron, A., Mashek, D., Haifang, L., & Brown, L.L. (2002).
Defining the brain systems of lust, romantic attraction, and
attachment. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 31:5, 413-419.
Johnson, S. (2009). Addicted to love. The Brain. Winter, 50-55.
Savulescu, J., & Sandberg, A. (2008). Neuroenhancement of love and
marriage: The chemicals between us. Nueroethics. !:31, 31-44
Zeki, S. (2006). The neurobiology of love. FEBS Letters 581, 2575-
2579.