The Science of Love

 H E A L T H:
 The Science of Love
 By: J e n n i f e r   N e j m a n
  Daily Collegian, Pennsylvania State U. (U-WIRE)
 
 STATE COLLEGE, Penn. - Love and lasting
                relationships - some people think these
                life-changing happenings are determined by fate
                and chance. 
 
                But falling in love and choosing a mate are not random
                occurrences, said Bob Burgess, professor of human
                development. Burgess said mating preferences have
                developed from ancient cultures. 
 
                Preferences impact the way men and women fall in
                love, Burgess said. "It's not a totally random process by
                any means," he said. 
 
                The intense feeling labeled as "love" is actually a
                chemical reaction, Burgess said. This feeling generally
                lasts anywhere from 18 months to three years, he said.
                "This intense... state we call 'being in love' has a
                limited life span," he said. 

                Natural amphetamines, which are evident in the first
                months of a relationship, produce the intensity of
                emotion, but like any high, it wears off, Burgess said.
                "This chemical process eventually slows down," he said.
                "You can't be high all the time." 
 
                That Lump in Your Throat 
 
                Yet, there is hope for long-term relationships, Burgess
                said. 
 
                After about three years, endorphins, another chemical,
                kick in and create a calmness in the relationship, which
                evolves into companionship. The chemical reaction is
                "less dramatic, but it also lasts a lot longer," Burgess
                said. 
 
                Feelings involving love vary from
                person to person, Burgess said,
                adding that some people remain
                intensely in love their entire lives
                and others never fall in love. 
 
                Students said being in love is almost unexplainable. 
 
                "You get that rumble in your stomach, that lump in your
                throat - you just know," Jeff Samson, a junior in
                advertising, said. 
 
                When she first fell in love, Megan Heaps, a junior in
                secondary education, said she did act a little silly, but
                love did not change her actions. "It kind of just gives
                you a boost of self-esteem," she said. 
 
                Guys Fall Faster 
 
                Another topic considered in relationship research is the
                idea that men will fall in love much quicker than women.
                According to research, women need more time to
                assess the social standing of men and must also
                consider the consequences of sexual relationships; thus,
                women may take longer to fall in love than men,
                Burgess said. 
 
                This is one theory, Dan Tobal, a junior in advertising,
                said he agreed with it. "The guys fall a lot quicker and
                a lot sooner," he said. 
 
                However, Tobal added that forming a relationship has
                its benefits. "The person you love is your bestfriend,"
                Tobal said.