Limerence

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/limerence

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the originator of term?Dorothy Tennov, psychologist, via her 1979 book 'Love and Limerence'
2. What is the neurobiological parallels?Early stages of intense romantic love resemble addiction due to neurotransmitter activity
3. Why does limerence make us feel happy sometimes and sad sometimes?It happens because we are not sure if the other person feels the same, so when we think they do we feel very happy, and when we doubt we feel sad.
4. How does limerence change the way we see the person we like?We may think the person is almost perfect, seeing only good things and ignoring any bad parts.

Limerence: A complex psychological state of intense, involuntary romantic infatuation characterized by intrusive thoughts and a strong desire for reciprocation.
Crystallization: The cognitive process within limerence where the individual idealizes the object of affection, emphasizing positive attributes and minimizing negative ones.
Reciprocation: The mutual exchange of feelings or actions; in limerence, the perceived or desired return of affection from the object of infatuation.
Intrusive Thoughts: Unwanted, repetitive thoughts that dominate consciousness, a hallmark of the obsessive nature of limerence.