Love isn’t limited to getting butterflies in your stomach or your heart beating faster when you see your partner or crush, instead, it comprises a wide range of biological and psychological processes that have been occurring in our body since infancy. Love is an emotion that enters our life at a very early stage and continues to shape a person for the rest of their lives.

The ability to love begins when a baby gets attached to its mother. A mother’s unconditional love introduces this emotion into the life of an infant. Maternal love plays an integral role in the growth of a child and affects their entire lives, and is universal with no bounds. During an individual’s life, they feel many other kinds of love as well such as passionate and compassionate love. Romantic love also plays an essential role, especially in the institution of marriage. Certain hormones such as oxytocin trigger feelings of love. Moreover, certain parts of the brain are activated when people see pictures of their loved ones, and this is proof that the feelings of love and the attachment that come with it have a biological basis.

Getty Images/Moment/Halfpoint Images

According to the psychology of love, there are certain elements that play a role in determining who we are going to fall in love with. ​​The first major predictor of love is proximity as people tend to fall in love with those who they are close to, this could be their family or people they meet everyday in an educational institution or in the workplace. Similarity also plays a role in determining whether you are going to fall in love with someone. Similarities in looks, attitudes, beliefs, and values are essential aspects that one considers. There are various psychological theories of love that analyze the psychology behind the emotion of love.