Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the relationship among three emotion-motivation systems (adult attachment, romantic love, and sex). We recorded event-related potentials in 37 healthy volunteers who had experienced romantic love while they viewed SEX, LOVE, FRIEND, SPORT, and NEUTRAL images. We also measured adult attachment styles, level of passionate love and sexual attitudes. As expected, results showed that, firstly, response to love-related image-stimuli and sex-related image-stimuli on the electrophysiological data significantly different on N1, N2, and positive slow wave (PSW) components. Secondly, the different adult attachment styles affected individuals’ recognition processing in response to love-related and sex-related images, especially, to sex-related images. Further analysis showed that voltages elicited by fearful attachment style individuals were significantly lower than voltages elicited by secure and dismissing attachment style individuals on sex-related images at frontal sites, on N1 and N2 components. Thirdly, from behavior data, we found that adult attachment styles were not significantly related to any dimension of sexual attitudes but were significantly related to passionate love scale (PLS) total points. Thus, the behavior results were not in line with the electrophysiological results. The present study proved that adult attachment styles might mediate individuals’ lust and attraction systems.
Highlights
Sexual relationship, in the context of human mating, plays an important role in the development as well as the evolution of human beings
The amplitude of SEX-MINUS-SPORT wave was larger than the LOVE-MINUSFRIEND wave especially at parietal
N1 (100–200 ms) A 2 (SEX MINUS SPORT wave, LOVE MINUS FRIEND wave) × 9 repeated within-subjects ANOVA was tested on this time window (100–200 ms)
Summary
In the context of human mating, plays an important role in the development as well as the evolution of human beings. There are three primary emotion-motivation systems in human brain during the development of human sexual relationship for mating, reproduction and parenting: lust, attraction, and attachment (Fisher, 1998). Sex drive ( called the libido or lust) is regarded as a craving for sexual gratification while romantic love (attraction, obsessive love, or passionate love) is considered as a powerful energy, feeling of exhilaration and focused attention on someone who catches our attention (Fisher et al, 2002). Recognition of Love and Sex attachment and is divided into three types, namely, secure, avoidant, and anxious (Hazan and Shaver, 1987). Our study seeks to assess whether adult attachment could mediate recognition processing of love and sexual desire
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