Who says ‘I love you’ first? Research reveals if it’s men or women
They’re crushin’ it.
A study published in the SAGE Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that men in heterosexual relationships tend to say “I love you” first.
Researchers had 3,109 adults (over 70% were women, and 85% were heterosexual) from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Poland, and the UK complete several online questionnaires about their relationships.
Contrary to stereotypical gender norms, the global team of researchers found that in six of the seven regions (all but France), men were more likely to admit love first.
On average, men considered confessing love 69 days into a relationship, while women didn’t think about it until 77 days in.
Although lovers might have been feeling it for awhile, “I love you” wasn’t usually said until 107 days in for men and 122 days for women.
Unsurprisingly, hearing their partner say those three little words made most participants feel happy, although attachment styles did impact their reactions.
People with an “avoidant” attachment style (those who are very independent, both physically and emotionally, and seek distance in relationships) were less ecstatic to be told “I love you,” while people with an “anxious” attachment style (those who are preoccupied with the responsiveness of their partner) were much more pleased.
Previous research found that men in the US are more likely to confess love first.
An emotional connection is obviously integral to any romantic relationship — and new research shows it’s also a key element to “great sex.”
A mind-blowing study published in May in the journal Sexuality & Culture determined that the three factors that contribute to someone considering a sexual encounter “great” are orgasm, emotional connection and chemistry.
Although difficult to define, an emotional connection was the second-most-important factor for exceptional sex.
Many participants of the study were sure to clarify that an emotional connection can exist without romantic love, but eight participants specifically equated an emotional component with love.
On the contrary, 16 participants did not require an emotional connection for superb sex.
The researchers did note that gender differences were apparent in these opinions, with some women prioritizing emotional connection over physical satisfaction.
