{"id":284,"date":"2023-02-23T00:10:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T00:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=284"},"modified":"2025-10-03T12:24:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:24:40","slug":"the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment","title":{"rendered":"The Science of Love: How our bodies help determine attraction and commitment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#Love_and_the_Five_Senses\" >Love and the Five Senses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#The_Three_Stages_Lust_Attraction_and_Love\" >The Three Stages: Lust, Attraction, and Love<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#The_Chemistry_of_Love\" >The Chemistry of Love<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#Getting_Attached\" >Getting Attached&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#Why_Science_Still_Cant_Fully_Explain_Love\" >Why Science Still Can&#8217;t Fully Explain Love<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#List_of_Recommended_Reading\" >List of Recommended Reading<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/the-science-of-love-how-our-bodies-help-determine-attraction-and-commitment\/#Resources\" >Resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ah, love! For thousands of years, scientists and philosophers have been looking for scientific proof of love. Plato was the first to coin the term &#8220;other half&#8221; in ancient Greece, speaking to the sense of longing we feel when we&#8217;re in love. In the Middle Ages, people believed that lovesickness was a genuine physical ailment related to an imbalance of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/shakespeare-and-the-four-humors\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">four humours<\/a>&nbsp;(blood, bile, melancholy, and phlegm) and received treatment for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, we know so much more about the nature of love and how our biochemistry affects romantic partnerships. But what exactly happens when we fall in love, and how do our bodies contribute to maintaining our emotional connections?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"696\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/oxytocin.png?w=1024\" alt=\"A bit of Oxytocin as an illustrated character.\" class=\"wp-image-7786\" style=\"width:361px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/oxytocin.png 1104w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/oxytocin.png?resize=300,204 300w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/oxytocin.png?resize=768,522 768w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/oxytocin.png?resize=1024,696 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Love_and_the_Five_Senses\"><\/span>Love and the Five Senses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we fall in love, it&#8217;s with our whole body. The mere sight of a person we&#8217;re romantically attracted to makes us begin to experience desire. Physical touch, like hugs, handholding, or kissing, triggers our brain to release&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/lOAakeXwiWU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">oxytocin<\/a>, one of the &#8220;happy hormones,&#8221; present in the early stages of our relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we see someone we&#8217;re attracted to, we also release pheromones, which prompt a social response in members of the same species. Even being around someone who&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0031938418311995\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">smells similar to us<\/a>&nbsp;or whose odor we identify as pleasant can trigger the release of another &#8220;happy hormone&#8221; called dopamine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with smell, tasting something we enjoy also triggers a dopamine release. Interestingly, because we&#8217;re naturally drawn to sweet things,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0265407514554512\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one study<\/a>&nbsp;found that we are even more likely to be attracted to someone after they&#8217;ve eaten something sweet. (Sweets for the sweet, indeed!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our sense of hearing also plays a role in our love lives. We deepen our connections with our loved ones when we speak to them and even when we listen to music together. (Mixtapes, anyone?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Three_Stages_Lust_Attraction_and_Love\"><\/span>The Three Stages: Lust, Attraction, and Love<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don&#8217;t fall in love all at once. Instead, it&#8217;s a gradual physical process. When we first become attracted to someone, testosterone and estrogen drive our feelings of desire or lust, making us nervous and excited when we see them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually, we may move on to feeling an attraction to that person. People describe it as feeling high or drunk on love. Indeed, attraction can lead to feelings of euphoria. During this stage, our bodies release dopamine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine, which lead to a sense of joy, excitement, and an overall increase in alertness, arousal, and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, we form a strong emotional attachment to the people we love. As our bonds become closer and more intense, we release more oxytocin and vasopressin (a hormone released during sex that plays a vital role in commitment and attachment).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"800\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/mo-love.png?w=1024\" alt=\"Mo character with a smile and a big open heart.\" class=\"wp-image-5692\" style=\"width:346px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/mo-love.png 1265w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/mo-love.png?resize=300,234 300w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/mo-love.png?resize=768,600 768w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/mo-love.png?resize=1024,800 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Chemistry_of_Love\"><\/span>The Chemistry of Love<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s a reason we speak of &#8220;good chemistry&#8221; when we refer to our connections with romantic partners. Various hormones, chemicals, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2022\/12\/21\/nclex-question-of-the-day-substance-use-disorder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">neurotransmitters<\/a>&nbsp;are responsible for our growing romantic\/sexual feelings. As these hormone levels increase in the body, you begin to realize you&#8217;re physically attracted to the other person (with exceptions such as people on the asexual spectrum). And, of course, desire or lust can happen independent of attachment and without leading to love.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once we become attracted to someone, the reward centers in our brains begin to fire and release dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Simply being physically close to them releases dopamine, which makes us feel rewarded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The feelings of giddiness and euphoria are thanks to norepinephrine. When your heart races and your palms sweat, you can thank <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/learn\/Serotonin_and_norepinephrine_reuptake_inhibitors\">norepinephrine<\/a>; it&#8217;s even responsible for the sleepless nights and the lack of appetite we tend to experience when first falling in love.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_Attached\"><\/span>Getting Attached&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, for any relationship to last, the people involved must eventually move past the desire and attraction phase. As partners become attached and more deeply committed, their bodies release oxytocin and vasopressin, reinforcing their attachment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interestingly, we release these hormones for all types of love, not just in response to romantic feelings. Nicknamed the &#8220;cuddle hormone,&#8221; oxytocin gets released during childbirth and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/learn\/Oxytocin_and_prolactin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">breastfeeding<\/a>\u00a0as well as when spending time with non-romantic loved ones, supporting the release of additional serotonin and reminding us why we love them. And vasopressin increases our willingness to engage in mutually beneficial types of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0960982219303343\">cooperation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"444\" height=\"623\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/Kissing.png\" alt=\"Two figures wildly attracted to each other and kissing.\" class=\"wp-image-7787\" style=\"width:273px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/Kissing.png 444w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/Kissing.png?resize=214,300 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Science_Still_Cant_Fully_Explain_Love\"><\/span>Why Science Still Can&#8217;t Fully Explain Love<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While scientists have a good handle on hormones and how they relate to love, we may never understand the science of love fully. For example, science can&#8217;t explain (at least not yet) why we&#8217;re attracted to the people we&#8217;re attracted to. Even when we<em>&nbsp;think<\/em>&nbsp;we know what we want in a romantic partner, we aren&#8217;t always drawn to the person who fits the bill.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While studying relationships, attraction, and love, researchers have found that love is, in essence, chaotic, making it impossible to predict what people will do as they navigate a slew of choices and decisions in their relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, while we don&#8217;t know everything about love, we do know (in the words of Hugh Grant in the cult classic film <em>Love Actually<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0314331\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>), &#8220;If you look for it, I&#8217;ve got a sneaky feeling you&#8217;ll find that love actually is all around.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"List_of_Recommended_Reading\"><\/span>List of Recommended Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/01\/09\/style\/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The 36 Questions That Lead to Love<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2022\/06\/220601185639.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Young Adults Turn Crushes Into Love&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.truity.com\/blog\/new-research-shows-there-are-actually-seven-love-styles-not-five\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Research Shows There Are Actually Seven Love Styles, Not Five<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/02\/16\/oxytocin-the-reason-we-fall-in-love\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oxytocin: The Reason We Fall in Love<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Love involves complex hormonal changes influencing attraction and attachment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sensory experiences like touch, smell, and taste deepen emotional bonds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Love progresses through lust, attraction, and deep attachment stages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oxytocin and vasopressin play key roles in bonding and commitment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The unpredictability of love highlights its unique, personal nature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Knowledge Shot: Oxytocin\" width=\"422\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S933fvQGK1I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Resources\"><\/span>Resources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/being-lovesick-was-a-real-disease-in-the-middle-ages-70919\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/theconversation.com\/being-lovesick-was-a-real-disease-in-the-middle-ages-70919<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.missouri.edu\/specialcollections\/exhibits\/show\/science-of-love\/love-from-the-middle-ages-to-t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/library.missouri.edu\/specialcollections\/exhibits\/show\/science-of-love\/love-from-the-middle-ages-to-t<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/shakespeare-and-the-four-humors\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/shakespeare-and-the-four-humors\/index.html<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0960982219303343\">https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0960982219303343<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/j.1475-6811.2006.00146.x?casa_token=J-yp22yZSbEAAAAA%3AHyxrbNUObAiByKcs8MRQui4JAhlHT_Z4RrhLC0SgH94uH6zNcZjP9VXl9Fjcbf0yhz4yTViOxFyjzj8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/j.1475-6811.2006.00146.x?casa_token=J-yp22yZSbEAAAAA%3AHyxrbNUObAiByKcs8MRQui4JAhlHT_Z4RrhLC0SgH94uH6zNcZjP9VXl9Fjcbf0yhz4yTViOxFyjzj8<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/science-and-health\/2022\/2\/9\/22914378\/the-science-and-mystery-of-love\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.vox.com\/science-and-health\/2022\/2\/9\/22914378\/the-science-and-mystery-of-love<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1016\/j.febslet.2007.03.094\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1016\/j.febslet.2007.03.094<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0314331\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0314331\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/healthmatters.nyp.org\/the-science-behind-love-how-your-brain-and-five-senses-help-you-fall-in-love\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/healthmatters.nyp.org\/the-science-behind-love-how-your-brain-and-five-senses-help-you-fall-in-love\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/create\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/hm-healthdigital-multisite.go-vip.net\/osmosisblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023_664dda.png\" alt=\"Learn Faster Retain More with Osmosis\" class=\"wp-image-5202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023_664dda.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023_664dda.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Study smarter, not harder, with Osmosis! Get a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>&nbsp;today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;re taking a look at the biological processes that help us fall in love (actually), including hormones, pheromones, and how our senses help us decide who we&#8217;re attracted to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":191,"featured_media":286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22,23],"tags":[172,174,168,173,169,167,171,166,170,175],"class_list":["post-284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-and-wellness","category-healthcare-facts","tag-attraction","tag-commitment","tag-emotional-health","tag-hormones","tag-human-biology","tag-love-science","tag-psychology","tag-relationships","tag-romance","tag-valentines-day"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - 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