Is romance a biological need?
Romantic love, researchers said today, is a biological urge distinct from sexual arousal.Its neural profile appears more similar to drives like hunger, thirst or drug craving than to emotional states like excitement or affection.
Falling in love seems to activate portions of the brain involved in longing, desire and the unexplainable tug that people feel toward one person out of many possible partners.
The emotional highs and lows of new love--including the "expansion of the self" that occurs as a person incorporates the new lover into his or her internal sense of being--appears biologically given, a part of our created nature.
One could argue, if so inclined, that God wants us to feel crazy when we fall in love . . . and wants us to want someone so badly.
There's a lot to chew on here in terms of anthropology, imago Dei, and the purpose of romantic relationships . . . lots more than I've got time for at the moment!
.: Posted by Duane Bidwell on Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Smiles bloom when flowers appear
My wife's congregation--like many, I suppose--makes a Monday-morning habit of distributing the flowers used in worship on Sunday to members and friends who are hospitalized or stuck at home for various reasons.This is basic pastoral care, an act that connects members to one another and helps establish "well-worn paths" between Christians (to use Susan Dunlap's evocative phrase).
But now there's evidence that the flowers themselves contribute to mental health by inducing positive emotions, as evidenced by smiles and other responses to receiving a bloom or bouquet.
While I'm not certain I can accept the study's conclusion that flowers evolved specifically to contribute to human well-being, I do think the study provides important, empirical evidence of the effectiveness of what can be construed as a pastoral act.
And I suspect that a similar study of responses to flowers presented by a representative of a congregation would demonstrate not only an increase in positive emotions such as happiness but also in hope and a sense of spiritual well-being.
.: Posted by Duane Bidwell on Monday, May 09, 2005
More on the academic "F word"
Are you a failure if you'd rather teach than research--especially if you "just" teach at a community college?PhDFraud (a new discovery via Bitch PhD) talks about professional failure and who gets to define it.
.: Posted by Duane Bidwell on Thursday, May 05, 2005