Love as a Commitment Device

• DOI: 10.1007/s12110-024-09482-6
• Publication Date: 2024-12-27T00:17:50Z
• Authors: Marta Kowal; Adam Bode; Karolina Koszałko...; S. Craig Roberts; Biljana Gjoneska; David Frederick; Anna Studzinska; Dmitrii Dubrov; Dmitry Grigoryev; Toivo Aavik; Pavol Prokop; Caterina Grano; Hakan Çetinkaya; Derya Atamtürk Duyar; Roberto Baiocco; Carlota Batres; Yakhlef Belkacem; Merve Boğa; Nana Burduli; Ali R. Can; Razieh Chegeni; William J. Chopik; Yahya Don; Seda Dural; Izzet Duyar; Edgardo Etchezahar; Feten Fekih-Romdhane; Tomasz Frackowiak; Felipe E. García; Talia Gomez Yepes; Farida Guemaz; Brahim B. Hamdaoui; Mehmet Koyuncu; Miguel Landa-Blanco; Samuel Lins; Tiago Marot; Marlon Mayorga-La...; Moises Mebarak; Mara Morelli; Izuchukwu L. G. N...; Mohd Sofian Omar ...; Ma. Criselda Teng...; Miriam Parise; Farid Pazhoohi; Ekaterine Pirtskh...; Koen Ponnet; Ulf-Dietrich Reips; Marc Eric Santos ...; Ayşegül Şahin; Fatima Zahra Sahli; Oksana Senyk; Ognen Spasovski; Singha Tulyakul; Joaquín Ungaretti; Mona Vintila; Tatiana Volkodav; Anna Wlodarczyk; Gyesook Yoo; Benjamin Gelbart; Piotr Sorokowski
• Keywords: Romance; Commit; Value (mathematics)

Abstract Given the ubiquitous nature of love, numerous theories have been proposed to explain its existence. One such theory refers love as a commitment device, suggesting that romantic evolved foster between partners and enhance their reproductive success. In present study, we investigated this hypothesis using large-scale sample 86,310 individual responses collected across 90 countries. If is universally perceived force fosters long-term partners, expected individuals likely suffer greater losses from termination relationships—including people lower socioeconomic status, those with many children, women—would place higher value on compared fewer men. These predictions were supported. Additionally, observed countries (vs. lower) Human Development Index placed level importance modernization might influence how evaluated. On average, participants worldwide unwilling commit relationship without highlighting love’s universal importance.