Is there any scientific explanation for love–like why it happens between strangers?
A. There are laws of love just as there are laws of any natural phenomenon, answers psychologist Phillip Shaver: 1. Romantic love, once thought to be largely Western, is now known to be universal, although it is not always– maybe not even usually–the basis for matrimony. “In cultures where parents or other authorities arrange marriages, love is often viewed as dangerous and foolish. Hence the popularity of Romeo and Juliet stories.” 2. Early attachment is key, with the same bonds that grow between infant and caregivers being carried forward into adulthood and shaping romantic love, says psychologist Chris Fraley. Thus adult lovers indulge in touching, kissing, “baby-talk,” playful flirting. 3. Married couples tend to be similar in age, attitudes, social status, political views, religion, body build, looks, even height and eye color. Scores of studies show that the opposite of “Opposites attract” is true! 4. People raised together, as in a kibbutz, generally don’t intermarry, perhaps
