Sex differences in romantic love: an evolutionary perspective.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational survey of young adults
PubMed 39994818 · doi:10.1186/s13293-025-00698-4
What was done
Cross-sectional study of 808 young adults aged 18–25 from 33 countries (predominantly in Europe, North America, and South Africa) who reported currently experiencing romantic love. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined sex differences in the lifetime number of times participants had fallen in love, timing of falling in love relative to relationship start (love progression), intensity of romantic love, obsessive thinking about a partner, commitment, and Passionate Love Scale scores.
What was found
In univariate comparisons, males reported falling in love a greater number of times and more quickly than females. Females reported higher romantic love intensity, higher commitment, and more obsessive thinking about their partner. In multivariate models adjusting for potential confounding covariates, differences in love frequency, onset speed, intensity, and obsessive thinking remained statistically significant, whereas the difference in commitment became non-significant. Specific numerical values, effect sizes, and p-values were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study provides cross-national survey evidence on self-reported sex differences in passionate love among currently in-love young adults, contextualizing behavioral variations within evolutionary sexual selection theory.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional and relies entirely on retrospective self-reports, introducing potential recall and social desirability biases. The abstract omits exact point estimates, variance, and effect sizes, noting descriptively that differences were small and diminished after adjustment. Findings are limited to young adults (aged 18–25) and cannot be generalized across broader age cohorts or differing cultural contexts outside the surveyed regions.