Topic paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Topic paper - Essay Example Its reputation as a source of positive feelings is a motivator for people to come together to attempt a relationship as a couple. The concept of romance is inherently fascinating as it touches on various aspects of human development and psychology. Being so, numerous studies have been undertaken to demystify and understand this phenomenon. This exploratory study shall attempt to answer relatively basic and then and more complex questions pertaining to the dynamics of human romantic relationships, specifically that of heterosexual relationships – how it begins; its effects on the romantic couple; how the involved individuals perceive themselves and their partners and how romance is sustained. Scientific studies of people who are in love show that apart from the emotional responses, there are physiological effects of romance. Fisher (2004) devoted much of her career to studying the biochemical pathways of love in all its manifestations: lust, romance, attachment and the way they wax and wane. Likewise, Marazziti researched on the hormonal effects of the emotions romantic love produces. Levine, Aune & Park (2006) studied love styles, communication in romantic relationships and individuals’ preferences for romantic partners. They also researched on how romance is initiated and what people do to intensify the romantic relationship. Romance also affects one’s self-esteem, as studied by Green, Campbell & Davis (2007). These researchers indicate that when an individual is in love and knows that he is loved back by his partner, his self esteem becomes inflated. On the other hand, when the object of his affection rejects his love, then his self-esteem suffers much. Many more studies on how romance is developed and sustained are available in the literature that will be reviewed for this paper. This study will cover a wide spectrum of subject matter related to romance. It will investigate the topic holistically to