Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Recent research suggests that romantic love can be literally addictive.Although the exact nature of the relationship between love and addiction has been described in inconsistent terms throughout the literature, we offer a framework that distinguishes between a narrow view and a broad view of love addiction.The narrow view counts only the most extreme, harmful forms of love or loverelated behaviors as being potentially addictive in nature.The broad view, by contrast, counts even basic social attachment as being on a spectrum of addictive motivations, underwritten by similar neurochemical processes as more conventional addictions.We argue that on either understanding of love-as-addiction, treatment decisions should hinge on considerations of harm and well-being rather than on definitions of disease.Implications for the ethical use of anti-love biotechnology are considered.
Institution: University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Wellcome Trust
OpenAlex ID: W2603614842