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The essential roots of love

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Francesca Righetti Open the ORCID record for Francesca Righetti [Opens in a new window]  and
Richard B. Slatcher
Francesca Righetti*
Affiliation:
Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands f.righetti@vu.nl
Richard B. Slatcher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA richard.slatcher@uga.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

We critically evaluate the robustness of the “quest for significance” as a foundational driver of love. Drawing on attachment and belongingness theories, we argue that love stems from fundamental evolutionary needs for human connection. Furthermore, we propose that there should be a distinction on how the model is applied to explain love across different types and stages of relationships.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e14
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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