Refuting Six Misconceptions about Romantic Love
22m
Sandra Langeslag
Cognitive and Biological Psychologist
Trailer
Get AccessFull VideoInterest in the science of romantic love is increasing, with more research, conferences, and publications focused on the topic. This is essential because love profoundly affects human lives and relationships across cultures. However, ongoing misconceptions in popular media and scientific literature impede progress in understanding the complexities of love.
In her latest article, Dr. Sandra Langeslag challenges six common myths about romantic love, which is the love for a significant other (as opposed to love for family members or friends, for example) and can be experienced regardless of whether someone is in a romantic relationship with the beloved. In this video, Dr. Langeslag shares her research findings and explains why: (1) romantic love is not necessarily dyadic, social, or interpersonal, (2) love is not an emotion, (3) romantic love does not only have positive effects, (4) romantic love is not uncontrollable, (5) there is no dedicated love brain region, neurotransmitter, or hormone, and (6) pharmacological manipulation of romantic love is not near.Â
For sexologists, understanding these nuances is essential for research and clinical practice. The lecture also offers recommendations for advancing the study of romantic love, focusing on intrapersonal dynamics and rigorous research methods.Â
- Langeslag SJE. Refuting Six Misconceptions about Romantic Love. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 May 2;14(5):383. doi: 10.3390/bs14050383.Â
- Langeslag, S. J. E., & Davis, L. L. (2022). A preliminary study on up-regulation of sexual desire for a long-term partner. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 19, 872-878. Â
- Langeslag, S. J. E., & Sanchez, M. E. (2018). Down-regulation of love feelings after a romantic break-up: Self-report and electrophysiological data. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 147, 720-733.
- Langeslag, S. J. E., & Van Strien, J. W. (2016). Regulation of romantic love feelings: Preconceptions, strategies, and feasibility. PLOS ONE, 11, e0161087.
Produced in 2025
Sandra Langeslag
Cognitive and Biological Psychologist
Speaker
Dr. Sandra Langeslag is an Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Missouri – St. Louis in the United States. She obtained her PhD in Biological and Cognitive Psychology from the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands.
Dr. Langeslag directs the Neurocognition of Emotion and Motivation Lab, in which she studies the neurocognition of romantic love, including parasocial love (i.e., romantic feelings for media figures, such as celebrities and fictional characters), and love for artificial intelligence (AI) companions.
Her research on romantic love spans four research lines:
- Romantic love improves cognition: People have more attention and better memory for their beloved.
- Romantic love impairs cognition: Love distracts people from doing other tasks.
- Love regulation: Even though people think that love is uncontrollable, it is possible to increase and decrease their love feelings by using strategies such as cognitive reappraisal, distraction, and fantasizing.
- Love and addiction: People who are in love seem addicted to their beloved, but what are the differences and similarities between love and addiction?