Where did romance come from?

Question

Was there romance in the proverbial "caveman" days? If so, how has it changed and what was its (evolutionary/psychological) purpose? How has it changed? If not, where did it come from?

Answer 1

Love itself is probably down to the fact that humans have one of the longest juvenile periods of any animal. Because of the upright walking position, a woman's hips cannot afford to be as wide as other animals that walk on four legs. This, combined with a human's large brain, means that much most brain development and growth happens outside the room; as opposed to most animals where the offspring are essentially minature versions of the adult, and do not need to much care an attention. The fact that humans have to devote so much time and patience in rearing children probably brought about the phenomena of love. It would be very difficult for a single parent to care for a child and find enough food to feed themselves and child. So we decided to couple up. Affection for ones offspring alone is not strong enough to keep this family unit together, so a deep and lasting love for ones partner developed to bind a family together.

The reason humans often have long courtships and marriage is a way of testing first if you are compatible and likely to be able to bring up a child in the ideal conditions, and secondly to enforce this togetherness with what is often considered a connection made by a God. This means breaking up and the affects this has on a child much more unlikely.

Because in modern times we are able to work and provide, we see a rise in divorces even where children are involved. There is less of an incentive to stay together because parents are aware that the effect on the child is minimal if the separation is conducted amicably and fairly.

While love may just be an evolutionary by-product, this does not make being in love any less profound or meaningful.

Answer 2

Romance, or falling in love, is triggered by a release of a "cocktail" of hormones and neurotransmitters, including oxytocin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine. Oxytocin produces a feeling of "loving kindness", and is also produced during and after childbirth in both parents to prepare them for caring for their offspring. Dopamine is a "feel good" neurotransmitter, produced by reward pathways, neuronal connections in the brain, that gives you a "pat on the back", a "well done, you did it, keep doing it againa and again" feeling, such as after exhilarating rides at an amusement park. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, and it makes one feel good about oneself in indulging in chocolate. A similar thing happens in case of romance. The whole point of this is to keep man and woman "in love" long enough to meet, mate and produce children and raise them in a loving family unit. Such a psycho-physiological arrangement has existed, it is believed for most of Homo sapiens' presence on the planet, and definitely so for the last 30-50 thousand years. Therefore there was romance in the proverbial caveman days, or else we would not have been here today!

Answer 3

It started with Shakespeare. After Romeo and Juliet, it all changed, and people knew what romance and sacrifice were. Before then, men were crude and didn't know how to communicate with women at all. Marriages were just rough and ready affairs just to have children.

Seriously, romance is probably a recent addition to civilisation. In early tribal culture, more recently (200-300 years ago) reflected in tribes in Papua New Guinea and Africa, and Australian Aborigines, women were counted as possessions and in some cases, daughters were considered burdens on the family. Men would have several "wives" and would have sexual preference over women in the tribe, depending on their own status in the tribe. I doubt that romance was high on the agenda.

Answer 4

No. it is a " natural instinct ". Law of nature.