Love And Aggression: The War Of Human Psychology

Recent findings published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin show that love can lead to aggressive behaviors, in some instances.

For the study, researchers examined two neurohormones and chemicals that act as hormones in the blood stream and neurotransmitters in the brain. These seem to be partly responsible for certain counterintuive responses, according to the study.

"Both oxytocin and vasopressin seem to serve a function leading to increased 'approach behaviors,'" said researchers, in a news release. "People are motivated by social approach or getting closer to others."

For the study, participants were asked to complete a survey that asked them about someone they loved and how the person was threatened by a third-party. They were also required to provide a saliva sample to measure neurohormone levels. They were also asked to listen to a compassion-evoking story about someone they'd never met.

Lastly, they were told that others in a side room would be exposed to hot sauce in order for the researchers to properly measure the effects of physical pain. Participants were asked to determine how much hot sauce should be used, and ultimately, how much pain participants should experience-particularly for those from the third party.

"The results of both the survey and the experiment indicate that the feelings we have when other people are in need, what we broadly call empathic concern or compassion, can predict aggression on behalf of those in need," said Poulin. "In situations where we care about someone very much, as humans, we were motivated to benefit them, but if there is someone else in the way, we may do things to harm that third party."