The various forms of love probably have a common evolutionary beginning, so where are scientists looking? Maternal love seems a good place to start. Biologically it makes perfect sense. In animals which help their offspring to survive, the bond is essential to passing the mother's genes on to the next generation.
Again oxytocin may have an important role in the development of a bond between a mother and child. Another hormone, prolactin, may prime both mothers and fathers for parenthood.
Unlike maternal love, monogamous bonds between males and females are pretty rare in mammals. Less than 5% are monogamous, and there is no clear pattern to help explain why it occasionally appears. Monogamy, it appears, is mostly for the birds.
It seems that in those rare mammals that do practise it, evolution stole the biochemistry and neural tricks that bond mother to infant and reinstalled them, so as to bind male and female together. One study of prairie voles shows that a species could be turned from promiscuous to devoted with a change in a single gene related to vasopressin.
Whatever romantic love's origins and purpose, long-term relationships are certainly important in keeping us content and happy.
And love is not only restricted to partnerships between men and women. Though gay relationships are different in some ways, they could be the glue that holds societies together.
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