The early stages of dating and relationships can be confusing with so many different questions in our minds. You are maybe confused about your feelings for the other person, and probably also wondering whether the other is feeling love the same way as you.
If you are wondering about your love status, here are some questions you can ask yourself if you wish to know whether what you are feeling is true love.
1.Have you suddenly discovered a new hobby or find yourself trying new things?
When falling in love, people often try to expand their personal boundaries and do things that their partners do. In modern relationships, you will often find yourself exploring new places, nibbling exotic dishes or having a go at paragliding. Aron, Paris, & Aron, 1995 states that people in modern love relationships tend to show growth in content and variety of their self-concept.
2.Have you experienced a high amount of stress lately?
Of course we all want to find true love, but studies also show that love raises the amount of cortisol which is a stress hormone (Marazziti & Canale, 2004). So if you are anxious, tense or stressed out then it could be the draining effect of social encounters with someone whose perception of you matters deeply to you.
3.Do you feel highly motivated to spend time with this person?
When you feel true love and consider someone for a life partner, the transition from a casual date to a commitment will cause a chemical reaction in your brain. Research shows that the dopamine-rich areas of the brain are most active in the initial stages of a relationships (Fisher, Aron, & Brown, 2005). These areas are what serve as the reward system and influence motivation. After couples have said their ‘I love you’s and it has been a while, the feeling of reward changes to attachment.
4.Does the other person return or reciprocate your feelings?
Being female has one advantage in love relationships in that women experience reciprocity in love emotions more often than men (Sanz Cruces et al., 2015). It could very well be because women hold out on their emotions till they are sure they will be returned, or that women are more skilled at seduction. Either way, women who believe they are falling in love are more likely to have their feelings turn into relationships.
