What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation

Florian Zsok; Matthias Haucke; Cornelia de Wit; Dick Barelds

doi:10.1111/pere.12218

What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation

Florian Zsok, Matthias Haucke, Cornelia de Wit, Dick Barelds

Organizational Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Love at first sight (LAFS) is a commonly known phenomenon, but has barely been investigated scientifically. Major psychological theories of love predict that LAFS is marked by high passion. However, it could also be a memory confabulation construed by couples to enhance their relationship. We investigated LAFS empirically by assessing feelings of love at the moment participants met potential partners for the first time. Data were collected from an online study, a laboratory study, and three dating events. Experiences of LAFS were marked neither by high passion, nor by intimacy, nor by commitment. Physical attraction was highly predictive of reporting LAFS. We therefore suggest that LAFS is not a distinct form of love, but rather a strong initial attraction that some label as LAFS, either in the moment of first sight or retrospectively.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	869-885
Number of pages	17
Journal	Personal Relationships
Volume	24
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12218
Publication status	Published - Dec-2017

Keywords

BELIEFS
PASSION
PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS
ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
SCALE
IMPRESSIONS
PERSONALITY
PROTOTYPE
MEMORIES
PARTNERS

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What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigationFinal publisher's version, 290 KBLicence: Taverne

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title = "What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation",

abstract = "Love at first sight (LAFS) is a commonly known phenomenon, but has barely been investigated scientifically. Major psychological theories of love predict that LAFS is marked by high passion. However, it could also be a memory confabulation construed by couples to enhance their relationship. We investigated LAFS empirically by assessing feelings of love at the moment participants met potential partners for the first time. Data were collected from an online study, a laboratory study, and three dating events. Experiences of LAFS were marked neither by high passion, nor by intimacy, nor by commitment. Physical attraction was highly predictive of reporting LAFS. We therefore suggest that LAFS is not a distinct form of love, but rather a strong initial attraction that some label as LAFS, either in the moment of first sight or retrospectively.",

keywords = "BELIEFS, PASSION, PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS, ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS, SCALE, IMPRESSIONS, PERSONALITY, PROTOTYPE, MEMORIES, PARTNERS",

author = "Florian Zsok and Matthias Haucke and {de Wit}, Cornelia and Dick Barelds",

year = "2017",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/pere.12218",

language = "English",

volume = "24",

pages = "869--885",

journal = "Personal Relationships",

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T1 - What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation

AU - Zsok, Florian

AU - Haucke, Matthias

AU - de Wit, Cornelia

AU - Barelds, Dick

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Love at first sight (LAFS) is a commonly known phenomenon, but has barely been investigated scientifically. Major psychological theories of love predict that LAFS is marked by high passion. However, it could also be a memory confabulation construed by couples to enhance their relationship. We investigated LAFS empirically by assessing feelings of love at the moment participants met potential partners for the first time. Data were collected from an online study, a laboratory study, and three dating events. Experiences of LAFS were marked neither by high passion, nor by intimacy, nor by commitment. Physical attraction was highly predictive of reporting LAFS. We therefore suggest that LAFS is not a distinct form of love, but rather a strong initial attraction that some label as LAFS, either in the moment of first sight or retrospectively.

AB - Love at first sight (LAFS) is a commonly known phenomenon, but has barely been investigated scientifically. Major psychological theories of love predict that LAFS is marked by high passion. However, it could also be a memory confabulation construed by couples to enhance their relationship. We investigated LAFS empirically by assessing feelings of love at the moment participants met potential partners for the first time. Data were collected from an online study, a laboratory study, and three dating events. Experiences of LAFS were marked neither by high passion, nor by intimacy, nor by commitment. Physical attraction was highly predictive of reporting LAFS. We therefore suggest that LAFS is not a distinct form of love, but rather a strong initial attraction that some label as LAFS, either in the moment of first sight or retrospectively.

KW - BELIEFS

KW - PASSION

KW - PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS

KW - ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

KW - SCALE

KW - IMPRESSIONS

KW - PERSONALITY

KW - PROTOTYPE

KW - MEMORIES

KW - PARTNERS

U2 - 10.1111/pere.12218

DO - 10.1111/pere.12218

M3 - Article

SN - 1350-4126

VL - 24

SP - 869

EP - 885

JO - Personal Relationships

JF - Personal Relationships

IS - 4

ER -

What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation

Abstract

Keywords

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