The Evolution of Love

Elizabeth Pillsworth, an assistant professor of evolutionary anthropology at California State University, expresses the scientific community's skepticism regarding the timeline of love's emergence. She notes that romantic love appears to have been a constant throughout human history; no known culture has been found devoid of this emotion. Love seems to be an essential human experience, akin to feelings such as joy or sorrow; it is an emotion integral to our humanity.

The origins of love can be traced back to our earliest ancestors—cavemen—where romantic connections were vital for the continuation of the species. This instinctual desire for companionship must be embedded within us, as the fundamental goal of every species is to survive and thrive. At its core, love embodies a yearning for reciprocity; we seek to love and be loved. This profound feeling transcends time and space, enveloping us in warmth, yet remains an enigma that we may never fully comprehend.

Mate Selection: Preferences and Evolution

Our approach to choosing a partner is influenced by various preferences and biological factors. People actively seek traits that resonate with their personal tastes: humor, physical appeal, and financial stability, among others. Research indicates that men often prioritize physical attractiveness, while women typically value a partner's resource acquisition capabilities. These preferences are not a modern phenomenon; historical patterns reveal that men have long favored curvy figures, associating them with fertility. Women, conversely, have been inclined to choose broad-shouldered men for short-term encounters, while prioritizing providers for long-term partnerships.

Sexual attraction appears to be a key driver in mate selection. In my first-year evolutionary studies, I learned that men are biologically inclined to seek multiple partners to maximize reproductive success, whereas women tend to favor a single partner to ensure the welfare of their offspring.

Genetics and Attraction

Recent studies suggest that we are drawn to partners who share similar traits with us. Research conducted by Tenesa et al. in 2016 and Robinson et al. in 2017 examined assortative mating patterns among couples of European descent, revealing a tendency for individuals to select partners with comparable heights and body mass indices. Another 2016 study by Hugh-Jones et al. indicated that intelligence also plays a role in mate selection, as couples displayed similarities in academic achievement.

These findings imply that "like attracts like," yet some individuals are drawn to those who differ significantly from themselves.

You may recall the well-known study involving sweaty t-shirts, conducted in 1995 by Swiss biologist Claus Wedekind. In this experiment, 46 female college students were asked to smell t-shirts worn by male students for two days. The results indicated that women preferred the scents of men with differing MHC (major histocompatibility complex) genes, which are crucial for immune system function.

A follow-up study by Garver-Apgar et al. in 2006 supported these findings, revealing that couples with dissimilar MHC genes reported greater relationship satisfaction than those with similar genes. This suggests that humans may instinctively seek out partners with varying MHC genes to enhance the immune strength of their offspring.

Despite these intriguing results, the conclusions remain inconclusive. However, dating apps have begun to take genetic compatibility into account. Since 2008, companies like GenePartner have promoted genetic testing as a means to assess relationship compatibility, and Instant Chemistry followed suit in 2014. SingldOut, an online dating service, has also integrated genetic compatibility into its matching process.

While researchers are uncovering compelling insights, the partner we choose is not strictly dictated by our genes. The selection process is influenced by evolutionary factors, but ultimately, love remains a complex interplay of attraction that defies simple genetic explanations.