Definition of love and How to measure love

Done By
Mohammed Abdullah Salem BAHBRY
(S412308014)

Love, a complex and varied human emotion, is marked by intense feelings,

motivations, and actions linked to romantic attraction and forming emotional
bonds. Universally acknowledged as a fundamental aspect of human existence,
love plays a crucial role in mate selection, courtship, reproduction, and parenting.
The Nature of Love
Love encompasses a range of emotions, including strong sexual desire,
possessiveness, emotional reliance, and a profound yearning for emotional
connection. It often brings about obsessive thoughts, increased activity, difficulty
sleeping, impulsiveness, euphoria, and mood fluctuations. Despite its involuntary
nature, love functions as a primary motivational system, with its own distinct
neural circuitry in the brain.
Romantic Love and Attitude
Defining love goes beyond mere emotion, need, or set of behaviors; it is a complex
attitude with broader perspectives. This complexity is particularly evident in
romantic love, which focuses on affection between unmarried opposite-sex peers
that may lead to marriage. To measure this, a love scale was developed, guided by
established theoretical and popular notions of love. This scale aimed to capture a
unified underlying attitude with closely correlated responses.

Assessing Love: Methods and Challenges

Assessing love poses a challenge due to its subjective nature. Researchers use
various approaches, including self-report questionnaires, functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity, and observation of love-
related behaviors. However, these methods, while providing valuable insights,
cannot fully encapsulate the entirety of this intricate emotion, given its intensely
personal and subjective nature.
Love in Literature
Exploring the theme of love extends beyond scientific research into the realm of
literature. The tales of Layla and Majnun, as well as Romeo and Juliet, exemplify
the profound impact of love on human lives.
The story of Layla and Majnun narrates the tragic tale of Majnun's deep love for
Layla. Hindered by societal constraints, Layla's father prevents their union, leading
Majnun to madness and a poetic chronicle of their ill-fated love. In a parallel
narrative from Verona, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet depict the profound
romantic connection between members of feuding families, resulting in a series of
tragic events.
Scientific Validation of Love
Quantifying love in a tangible way is challenging because it encompasses various
dimensions of emotions, actions, and experiences unique to each relationship.
People may use their own subjective criteria or experiences to gauge and
understand the depth or intensity of love they feel or receive from others
Scientifically, the love scale was validated through questionnaire studies and
laboratory experiments, showing moderate correlation with a liking scale. The
concept of romantic love, as measured by the scale, includes elements such as
affiliative and dependent needs, a predisposition to provide assistance, and an
orientation of exclusivity and absorption.
In conclusion, love remains a multifaceted and intricate phenomenon that extends
beyond scientific measurement into the realms of literature and personal
experience. As we continue to explore the complex landscape of love, integrating
scientific inquiry with literary narratives, we gain a deeper understanding of this
fundamental aspect of human existence.
References :
Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (Eds.). (2018). The new psychology of love.
Cambridge University Press.
Jafari, S., Sprott, J. C., & Golpayegani, S. M. R. H. (2016). Layla and Majnun: A
complex love story. Nonlinear Dynamics, 83, 615-622.
Shakespeare, W. (2019). Romeo and juliet. In One-Hour Shakespeare (pp. 304-
368). Routledge.
Rubin, Z. (1970). Measurement of romantic love. Journal of personality and social
psychology, 16(2), 265.