Do you really know｜爱情真的能天长地久吗？
英音听力｜BBC & 经济学人等
Can love last forever?
Despite lovey-dovey representations of romance in films, a lot of people say that love doesn't last forever. Some people say it's limited to three years max, for example. So what does science have to say on the matter then?
Why wouldn't love be the same three months and three years into a relationship then?
Love isn't a static emotion, but a dynamic process that changes over time. According to science, there are different phases and types of love that we experience in a relationship.
The first phase is often called romantic love or infatuation, which is characterized by intense attraction, passion, obsession, and euphoria. It's the phase when you feel butterflies in your stomach, can't stop thinking about your partner, and want to spend every moment with them. And it's driven by brain chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which make us feel happy and excited.
However, this phase usually lasts for only two to three years at most. That's according to Dr. Fred Knorr, a neurologist and author of the book, True Love, How to Use Science to Understand Love. As quoted by today.com, Knorr says that after this phase, our brain chemicals change and romantic love fades.
Does genetics have any role to play?
Some researchers have suggested that there is a genetic basis for love, and that we're attracted to people who have compatible genes with us. For example, one study found that people tend to prefer partners who have different immune system genes to them, which may increase the chances of having healthy offspring.
Another study found that people who have a certain variant of the gene DRD4, which affects dopamine receptors in the brain, are more likely to be adventurous, impulsive, and therefore prone to infidelity. These genetic factors may influence how long we stay in love with someone, or how easily we fall out of love.
Is it even possible for love to last forever then?
There's no simple answer to that question. While romantic love may not last forever, it can transition to a more mature and stable form of love, which is often called companionate love or attachment. This type of love is based on trust, commitment, friendship and intimacy.
It's associated with the hormone oxytocin, which is released during cuddling, kissing and sex. Oxytocin helps bond couples together and creates a sense of security and comfort. This type of love can last for decades or even a lifetime if the couple works on maintaining it.
Of course, it doesn't mean that the couple will never experience any problems or conflicts, it just means that they have learned to cope with them and overcome them together. There you have it.
词汇表
lovey-dovey [ˈlʌvi ˈdʌvi] adj. 浓情蜜意的，卿卿我我的
romance [rəʊˈmæns] n. 爱情，恋爱，恋情
max [mæks] adv. 最多，至多；n. 最大值
static [ˈstætɪk] adj. 静态的，静止的，不变的
infatuation [ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃn] n. 迷恋，热恋
obsession [əbˈseʃn] n. 痴迷，着迷，迷恋
euphoria [juːˈfɔːriə] n. 狂喜，欣喜若狂，极度愉快
feel butterflies in your stomach 感到小鹿乱撞，心慌意乱，紧张不安
dopamine [ˈdəʊpəmiːn] n. 多巴胺（与愉悦感等相关的神经递质）
serotonin [ˌserəˈtəʊnɪn] n. 血清素（与情绪调节相关的神经递质）
norepinephrine [ˌnɔːrepɪˈnefrɪn] n. 去甲肾上腺素（与应激反应等相关的神经递质）
neurologist [njʊəˈrɒlədʒɪst] n. 神经学家，神经病学家
genetics [dʒəˈnetɪks] n. 遗传学，遗传基因
genetic basis [dʒəˈnetɪk ˈbeɪsɪs] 遗传基础
compatible genes [kəmˈpætəbl dʒiːnz] 相容基因，匹配基因
immune system [ɪˈmjuːn] 免疫系统
offspring [ˈɒfsprɪŋ] n. 后代，子孙，子女
variant [ˈveəriənt] n. 变体，变异，变种
DRD4 n. DRD4 基因（影响多巴胺受体的基因）
receptor [rɪˈseptə(r)] n. 受体，感受器
impulsive [ɪmˈpʌlsɪv] adj. 冲动的，易冲动的
be prone to [prəʊn] 易于，倾向于
infidelity [ˌɪnfɪˈdeləti] n. （伴侣间的）不忠行为，出轨
fall out of love 变心，爱意不再
companionate love [kəmˈpænjənɪt] 伴侣之爱（基于陪伴、信任的成熟爱情）
attachment [əˈtætʃmənt] n. 依恋，眷恋，深厚的情感
intimacy [ˈɪntɪməsi] n. 亲密感，亲密关系
hormone [ˈhɔːməʊn] n. 激素，荷尔蒙
oxytocin [ˌɒksɪˈtəʊsɪn] 催产素（促进情感联结的激素）
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