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The dynamic interplay of merit and appreciation in love: Variations by gender, age, and relationship duration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Iris V. Wahring Open the ORCID record for Iris V. Wahring [Opens in a new window] ,
Denis Gerstorf Open the ORCID record for Denis Gerstorf [Opens in a new window]  and
Jana Nikitin Open the ORCID record for Jana Nikitin [Opens in a new window]
Iris V. Wahring*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany iris.wahring@hu-berlin.de
Denis Gerstorf
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany iris.wahring@hu-berlin.de Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany denis.gerstorf@hu-berlin.de
Jana Nikitin
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria jana.nikitin@univie.ac.at
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

We extend the model developed by Kruglanski et al. by proposing that the relevance of merit and appreciation for love varies by gender, age, and relationship duration: (1) appreciation is more decisive for falling in love among men; (2) merit matters more for younger adults and appreciation for older adults; and (3) appreciation becomes increasingly important as relationships evolve.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e21
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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