Chocolate, flowers, candle-lit dinners, walks under moonlight, where would we be without romance? The idea that romance is a crucial component of love in relationships stands true. In fact, some people hold the opinion that the more romantic a person is, the more loving they will be and the more vibrant their relationship will be. Different schools of thought suggest that the expression of romance and romantic gestures is a gender-based affair and gives credit to the male gender.
Truly, stories of women committing suicide because a man left them or men abandoning their pregnant wives have circulated and are still circulating. However, studies have shown that when it comes to the most profound and significant expressions of romance, men come out on top.
Male biology as a contributory factor
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A lot of empirical evidence supports the notion that males are more romantic than the majority of people might think. Everything boils down to evolutionary growth and fundamental biology. The popular idea that “males and females are wired differently” has stood the test of time. There has been an increasing body of research over the past 15 years that shows that there are intrinsic differences between the wiring and functioning of men’s and women’s brains.
Before a man or woman falls in love, certain neurotransmitters and hormones must accumulate over time. For men to begin falling in love, the neurotransmitters dopamine and vasopressin are essential. We have three stages of love; infatuation, attraction, and attachment. During the third stage, men concentrate their attention and mating energies on one person. They constantly think of them and want their companionship, experiencing an upsurge in vigor and excitement.
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According to a meta-analysis conducted on over 900 males and females aged between 22 to 35 years, findings suggest that the connective tissues between the two hemispheres grow differently in men and women, particularly during adolescence—with important behavioral ramifications. That implies that multitasking and analytical thought, which call for coordinating activity in both hemispheres, may be skills more suited to women. Men, on the other hand, may be more suited for occupations that need single-minded focus. Such conclusions, the researchers cautioned, are speculative.
Men are likely to say “I love you” first
Findings from a study revealed that men are more likely to fall in love at first sight. Another study shows that men are also the first ones likely to say the legendary “I love you” and get so excited when the response is mutual.
According to various biological anthropologists, it doesn’t make evolutionary sense for women to have a romantic attitude or to fall in love at first sight. Women had to devote a lot more time and effort to rearing children in the early stages of human evolution. Rapidly falling in love would increase the likelihood that they would choose a poor mate or would miss a better chance to mate, and they would then squander time rearing children who wouldn’t live to pass on their genes.
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In other words, women are naturally and evolutionarily predisposed to choose their partners more carefully than males do. Men are considerably more likely to dive in headfirst.
Furthermore, it is more likely that it is men who take care of women financially. Men are more open to this sort of dynamic due to the natural and constant need to protect and provide. Men often feel unfulfilled if they’re not paying the bills, or at least some of them.
Does this make men more vulnerable?
In a study involving over 1,000 unmarried participants, findings suggest that despite attempts to appear strong at times, unpleasant relationships are more emotionally taxing on men than on women. Just like women, they exhibit their pain differently. The emotional health of young males is more impacted by the nature of their present relationships.
A team of Harvard researchers closely monitored the relationships of 231 couples. It was typically the lady who proposed the breakup of those who separated. The men were determined to see it through to the end.
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Final Thoughts
Love should be cherished and enjoyed by both males and females alike. Congrats to the men for eschewing the shame and stereotypes of weakness attached to emotion and expression. No matter what their gender or sexual orientation, everyone deserves to be loved and accepted.
References
Hatfield, E., & Sprecher, S. (1986). Measuring passionate love in intimate relationships. Journal of Adolescence, 9(4), 383-410. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-1971(86)80043-4. Retrieved September 25, 2023, from Wiley Online Library.
Liu, S., Seidlitz, J., Blumenthal, J. D., & Raznahan, A. (2020). Integrative structural, functional, and transcriptomic analyses of sex-biased brain organization in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1919091117.
Wake Forest University. (2010, June 14). Young men more vulnerable to relationship ups and downs than women. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 25, 2023 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608135114.htm
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