Love is a universal experience, yet how we fall for someone can vary widely. A new study sheds light on the gendered nature of romantic emotions. Men, it appears, fall in love faster, and more frequently, than women.
Researchers from Australia and New Zealand studied romance across 33 countries, spanning Europe, North America, and South Africa. Over 800 adults, all aged 18 to 25, described themselves as being “in love” during the survey. The team was led by biological anthropologist Adam Bode of Australian National University. They aimed to explore romance through a biological lens. They also examined it from a cultural perspective. They asked about love’s timing, intensity, frequency, and emotional obsession with partners.
MEN FALL SOONER—AND MORE OFTEN
After analyzing the data, one pattern stood out: men reported falling in love roughly a month before women on average.
Men were also more likely to fall in love before the relationship became official.
Thirty percent of men reported early love compared to less than 20 percent of women.
Researchers suggest this could be due to societal pressure on men to initiate commitment and express romantic interest first.
LOVE FREQUENCY VS COMMITMENT
Men not only fall faster but also fall more often, the study reveals. However, their level of commitment was slightly lower than women’s. Women, on the other hand, reported deeper romantic intensity and more obsessive thinking about their partners. This emotional fixation suggests a more inward-focused romantic experience among women.
BIOLOGICAL VS SOCIAL FORCES
This study is the first to use such a large, diverse sample to study gender differences in romance. The researchers considered additional variables such as age and gender ratios in participants’ countries. Even after accounting for those factors, most trends held firm—except the commitment gap, which disappeared.
GENDER EQUALITY AND LOVE
Interestingly, romance seemed more subdued in countries with higher gender equality.
Participants from these countries fell in romance less often, showed less commitment, and were less obsessed with partners.
This hints at the strong influence of cultural norms on romantic behavior. In more egalitarian societies, the urgency of love may lessen. The intensity of romance may also decrease, possibly due to reduced social pressure to pair up quickly.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
“Romance is under-researched,” says Adam Bode. He believes it’s vital to understand love’s role in forming relationships, families, and cultures. Despite love’s global presence, scientific understanding of how men and women experience it remains limited. This study offers new insights into how biology and society shape love, and opens doors for further research.
RETHINKING ROMANCE
Men may love sooner and more often, but women love deeper and think about it more.
Cultural and biological factors interact in complex ways to define how we fall for someone.
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a social phenomenon shaped by gender, society, and evolution.
