6. Love and other attractions
The most basic, and perhaps most influential, social relationship of all is the interpersonal relation of attraction and love. As social animals, humans have evolved a biological need to form bonds with others. There is no better demonstration of this than the observation of what happens when affiliation is denied or taken away through ostracism. ‘Love and other attractions’ considers why we are drawn to one another, what determines who we affiliate with, and once we are in love, what determines how we act in that relationship and how satisfying it will be. It also discusses how relationships change over lifespans, the investment model, and looks at strategies for protecting successful relationships.