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Falling in love: An evolutionary perspective on the role of psychological needs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Markus Quirin Open the ORCID record for Markus Quirin [Opens in a new window]  and
David Michael Buss
Markus Quirin*
Affiliation:
TUM School of Medicine & Health, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany Department of Psychology, PFH Private Hochschule Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany m.quirin@tum.de
David Michael Buss
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA dbuss@austin.utexas.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Kruglanski et al. frame romantic love as a quest for significance. This commentary expands their model by integrating an evolutionary perspective, linking significance to mating and reproductive success. It highlights how additional psychological needs – such as emotional security, arousal, and sexual satisfaction – also shape romantic love. By situating these needs within evolved functions, the commentary clarifies how significance interacts with other motivational systems in the emergence and dynamics of romantic love.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e13
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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