The Science of Love and the Brain (S2E30)

Mandyland

Tackling the science of [heterosexual] love is an interesting endeavour indeed. Lauren starts us off with the idea of three phases of love (lust, attraction, and attachment), the hormones and neurotransmitters associated with some of these phases, differences between men and women* and an evolutionary perspective on love. We then spend a good deal of time talking about attachment and what that kind of love means in parenting and with pet animals. We even talk about how the brain is affected by a break-up. Unfortunately, all we covered was heterosexual love.

*although I (Mandy) believe in the non-binary nature to sex and gender, the scientific literature lags behind and often discusses sex differences exclusively between men and women.