Romantic love is an emotional and psychological state characterized by strong feelings of affection, attachment, and desire for closeness between individuals. It can take many forms and has been studied extensively across various disciplines including literature, philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, biology, and neuroscience. According to some scholars, such as John B. Calhoun and Elaine Hatfield, romantic love exists independently of society's expectations and cultural norms and can be experienced without external validation. They argue that this kind of love exists within the individual mind and body and cannot be influenced by social and cultural factors.
There are others who believe that romantic love is a result of social conditioning and learned behavior shaped by one's upbringing and environment. This essay will explore these competing perspectives and examine the empirical evidence to determine whether romantic love is purely autonomous or subjected to social and cultural recognition.
One argument against the idea that romantic love exists as a purely autonomous phenomenon is based on evolutionary theory. Evolutionary psychologists propose that humans evolved specific traits and behaviors necessary for survival in ancient times, including the need to form long-term pair bonds with partners for mating and reproductive purposes. In modern society, however, these behaviors may no longer serve their original purpose but continue to exist due to natural selection.
Men often express their interest in women through courtship rituals like gift giving, flirting, or physical contact, which were once adaptive in hunting and gathering communities where resources were scarce. These actions are still valued today because they signal desirability and commitment, even though they do not necessarily lead to reproduction. Therefore, according to this perspective, romantic love is not a purely autonomous phenomenon since it has been developed over time through evolutionary pressures and continues to be influenced by societal norms and expectations.
Another argument against the autonomy of romantic love is based on cross-cultural studies. Anthropologist Helen Fisher conducted research on different cultures around the world and found that while there are variations in the expression of romantic love, its basic features remain similar across groups. She argues that our emotional responses to others are largely universal and biological, shaped by our hormones, genes, and brain structures rather than learned behavior. Her findings suggest that romantic love is not completely independent of cultural factors but exists within individuals regardless of social conditioning. Similarly, psychologist Arthur Aron conducted a study on American college students who had never met before and showed them intimate questions, such as "Would you ever consider having sex with someone you just met?" Afterwards, he asked them to look into each other's eyes for four minutes. They reported feeling more connected and aroused, demonstrating that physical proximity and eye contact can induce feelings of romantic attraction, suggesting that love may exist independently of culture.
Despite these arguments, evidence suggests that romantic love is strongly affected by social and cultural recognition.
A study by Zick Rubin found that people from different cultures value romantic relationships differently, with some emphasizing compatibility, financial stability, or family approval over emotional connection. This indicates that romantic love is subjected to external influences and cannot be experienced purely autonomously.
Anthropologists like Margaret Mead observed that different societies have distinct views on marriage and sexuality, which means that romantic love must conform to their expectations and norms.
The debate over whether romantic love exists as a purely autonomous phenomenon remains unresolved due to conflicting perspectives and empirical evidence. While there is evidence to support both sides, it seems that society plays an important role in shaping romantic experiences and expressions. Nevertheless, individuals may still experience deep emotions and intense desire without relying on external validation, suggesting that love has both biological and cultural components.
Can romantic love exist as a purely autonomous phenomenon independent of social and cultural recognition?
No, it is unlikely for love to exist entirely independently of the influences of society and culture. Romantic relationships are shaped by various factors such as family structure, gender roles, power dynamics, media representations, religious norms, economic status, and other social institutions that define what qualifies as acceptable behavior in intimate partnerships.