Sep 19, 2022 09:00:00

Is there a rational merit for humans to have 'love'?

In modern society, there is a growing tendency to emphasize science and rationality, but even so, people still feel the mysterious thing called 'love' and are even convinced that 'this love is destiny.' Benjamin Kaveladze, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine, and others explained why humans had the feeling of love and whether there are rational benefits to love.

Why does love feel magical?

https://theconversation.com/why-does-love-feel-magical-its-an-evolutionary-advantage-180443

The romantic feeling of 'love' has existed in the human heart since ancient times, and there are stories about love in various myths and legends around the world. Many Japanese poems are recorded. On the other hand, psychologist Kaveladze and others asked, 'Why does love exist as part of the human mind?'

Evolutionary psychology is a psychological theory that states that in the process of human evolution over hundreds of thousands of years, traits that are advantageous for reproduction and survival are passed on to the next generation, and that this influences the behavior and thinking of modern humans. approach. According to this approach, the tendency of modern people to ``feel delicious foods with high nutritional value (calorie)'' is useful for reducing the risk of starving to death, and has been passed down to modern times because it was suitable for survival. It is possible.

If we apply this idea of evolutionary psychology to 'love,' then there are some survival and reproductive benefits to loving someone as if they were destined to love. ``According to one explanation , the key to knowing the true purpose of love lies in the apartment lease,'' Kaveladze and colleagues say.

First, let's consider the relationship between landlords and tenants who have long-term contracts of several months to several years in rental properties such as apartments and tenants. Most long-term contracts leave the landlord with the possibility of finding a better tenant in the future, and the tenant with the possibility of finding a better property in the future. Remains, but still both agree to a long-term contract.

The reason why both parties are able to sign a long-term contract is that it is 'a very difficult and costly act to find the perfect apartment or tenant.' To avoid these hassles and costs, both parties agree to a long-term, if imperfect, contract, which prevents outside enticements from ruining the deal. Kaveladze et al. point out that there are similar problems with partner selection in humans.

Finding a good partner is very important because human men and women will be married long enough to raise children. However, searching for an ideal partner is an act that consumes a lot of time and money, so in order to successfully inherit genes, it is better to commit to a ``suitable partner'' rather than pursuing perfection. It is advantageous. Kaveladze said, 'Thus, evolution has imagined love as a biological contract to solve the problem of commitment and to provide the solution with an 'intoxicating reward' (of committing to a sufficient partner). It may be,' he said.

While love seems to have evolved primarily to support sexual reproduction, love is, of course

, part of life for homosexuals, asexuals, and even the incapacitated. . 'Researchers who have investigated the evolution of same-sex attraction argue that romantic relationships can provide adaptive advantages even in the absence of sexual reproduction,' Kaveladze et al. It is the driving force of change, and from a strictly evolutionary perspective there is no single 'normal' or 'ideal' mode of existence.'

When a human feels love for a partner, various changes occur that ensure commitment to the other. The first is that other potential candidates don't look as attractive. People who are satisfied with their relationships are less likely to be distracted by others, as

studies show that other good-looking people are less attractive than others.

Second, they become jealous when their partner's feelings turn toward others, and are wary of those who might threaten their relationship. Jealousy can have dire consequences at times, but evolutionary psychologists argue that jealousy can help prevent infidelity and predatory love.

And the third is, ``Deepen your confidence in your relationship by thinking that the other person is your destiny and creating a story.'' The research team of Kaveladze et al. is in the process of conducting research on this topic.

At first glance, it may seem irrational to feel love or destiny for someone, but if it helps you achieve a long-term commitment to your partner, love can be an adaptive advantage. Neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth describes love as 'an irrational bond that is rationalized by its own existence . '

Kaveladze et al. discuss the evolutionary merits of love, but also warn against leaning too far against romantic love. 'If you rebel against the magical idea of love, you may be overthinking one of life's greatest gifts,' she said.