Till now, we were led into believing that love at first sight is a true measure of real love and it has no parallel. This concept of love at first sight has been depicted across various media such as books, movies, TV shows, etc. Naturally, we grew up with the belief that love at first sight is the thing that really matters when we are trying to find true love. However, in a new study, researchers have found something startling that is just the opposite of the concept of love at first sight. The researchers say that if you are attracted to a person at first sight, it’s more likely to be lust at first sight and not love at first sight. The findings of the research study support the claim of researchers. This may come as a setback to romantics, as it shakes the foundations of what love is all about.
The study was conducted by a team of Dutch researchers and it involved a survey of around 400 people of Dutch and German origin. 96 percent of the participants were heterosexual and males and females were in the ratio of 37:63. A total of 3 surveys were conducted as part of the study. In two of these surveys, participants were shown images of potential partners and asked to rate them according to their feelings of love at first sight. Participants were also asked to rate their potential partners in terms of their feelings of intimacy, passion and commitment. These feelings are considered as the three primary components of love. In the third survey, participants joined real-life dating events, where they met and interacted with other single participants. They were then asked about their feelings of love at first sight and the associated intimacy, passion and commitment.
What researchers found was startling since love at first sight was reported 49 times across all three surveys, but there were no reciprocal instances of love at first sight in the third survey. This clearly showed that love at first sight occurs primarily when people see someone they do not know. It also revealed that when people experience love at first sight, it is least likely to be reciprocated in the same manner. After this study, experts said that love at first sight may merely depict a strong physical attraction towards someone and it may not come with the feeling of intimacy and commitment.
The findings of the study imply that you should not blindly follow the concept of love at first sight, even when it may be the dominant theory across books, movies and TV shows. Experts say that real love has all the three components – passion, intimacy and commitment. Love at first sight is mostly about passion whereas intimacy and commitment come later in a relationship. So, if you are experiencing love at first sight, it is most likely to be lust at first sight. However, no need to be disappointed, as you can always work to improve theequations of love.