ABSTRACT
Like all great dramatic works, the story of each individual human life can often be whittled down to one fundamental leitmotif: the question of who loves us (and who does not), and when, where, and how love develops (or dissolves). Each of us owes the very fact of our existence to the attraction (whether it be affectionate or lustful, longstanding or fl eeting) that once existed between two individuals, and our inherently social nature-our need to form positive, loving, supportive relationships with others-ensures that most of us will spend a good portion of our lives seeking an answer to that very question. Relationship scientists, too, have devoted considerable effort toward understanding love. This chapter presents their fi ndings.
