Romance does not have to fizzle out(失败) in long-term relationships and progress into a companionship/friendship-type love, a new study has found. Romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier 1 .
"Many believe that 2 love is the same as passionate(多情的)love," said lead researcher Bianca P. Acevedo, PhD, then at Stony Brook University (currently at University of California, Santa Barbara). "It isn't. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component(过度成分). Passionate or obsessive love includes 3 of uncertainty and anxiety. This kind of love 4 drive the shorter relationships but not the longer ones."
These findings 5 in the March issue of Review of General Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.
Acevedo and co-researcher Arthur Aron, PhD, reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in short- and long-term relationships to 6 whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction. To determine this, they 7 the relationships in each of the studies as romantic, passionate (romantic with obsession) or friendship-like love and categorized them as long- or short-term.
The researchers looked at 17 short-term relationship studies, which included 18- to 23-year-old college students who were 8 , dating or married, with the average relationship lasting less than four years. They also 9 at 10 long-term relationship studies including middle-aged couples who were typically married 10 years or more. Two of the 10 ncluded both long- and short-term relationships in which it was possible to distinguish the two samples.
The review found that those who reported greater romantic love were more 11 in both the short- and long-term relationships. Companion-like love was only moderately 12 with satisfaction in both short- and long-term relationships. And those who reported greater passionate love in their relationships were more satisfied in the short term 13 to the long term.
Couples who reported more satisfaction in their relationships also 14 being happier and having higher self-esteem.
Feeling that a partner is "there for you" 15 or a good relationship, Acevedo said, and facilitates(促进) feelings of romantic love. On the other hand, "feelings of insecurity are generally associated with 16 satisfaction, and in some 17 may spark conflict in the relationship. This can manifest(表白) into obsessive love," she said.
This discovery may change people's 18 of what they want in long-term relationships. According to the authors, companionship love, which is what many couples see as the natural 19 of a successful relationship, may be an unnecessary compromise(妥协). "Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings(修剪)," Acevedo said. "And couples who've been together a long time and wish to get back their romantic edge should know it is an attainable(可达到的) goal that, like most good things in life, 20 energy and devotion."
( ) 1. A. scholarships B. friendships C. relationships D. companionships
( ) 2. A. obsessive B. romantic C. passionate D. companion
( ) 3. A. feelings B. factors C. consequences D. barriers
( ) 4. A. contributes B. helps C. prevents D. speeds
( ) 5. A. occur B. take C. write D. appear
( ) 6. A. find out B. work out C. take out D. bring out
( ) 7. A. separated B. classified C. divided D. cut
( ) 8. A. alone B. lonely C. single D. unique
( ) 9. A. glanced B. glared C. stared D. looked
( ) 10. A. findings B. examinations C. experiments D. studies
( ) 11. A. unpleased B. disappointed C. satisfied D. desperate
( ) 12. A. referred B. associated C. contended D. conflicted
( ) 13. A. compared B. comparing C. added D. led
( ) 14. A. reported B. said C. believed D. hoped
( ) 15. A. takes B. makes C. means D. depends
( ) 16. A. higher B. lower C. no D. much
( ) 17. A. environments B. states C. air D. cases
( ) 18. A. views B. expectations C. remarks D. statements
( ) 19. A. progression B. change C. results D. choice
( ) 20. A. produces B. satisfies C. requires D. consumes