Women and men in love: who really feels it and says it first?
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Level 4 by design analogy (cross-sectional self-report survey).
PubMed 22208110 · doi:10.1080/00224545.2010.522626
What was done
A cross-sectional survey was administered to 172 college students to assess beliefs, retrospective self-reports of when they fell in love and first said "I love you" in romantic relationships, and general attitudinal responses regarding love and romance.
What was found
Both male and female participants believed that women would fall in love and say "I love you" first in relationships. However, men reported falling in love earlier and expressing it earlier than women reported. There were no sex differences in attitudinal responses to items regarding love and romance. The abstract does not report specific numerical values, effect sizes, or test statistics.
Why it matters
These findings challenge cultural stereotypes that women fall in love faster or are more romantic than men, suggesting that men may develop and express romantic feelings earlier in relationship progression.
Limits
The study relied on a small convenience sample of 172 college students, limiting generalizability. Outcomes were based entirely on retrospective self-reports, which are susceptible to recall bias and social desirability. No numerical values or effect sizes were reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Review papers show a consistent medium-sized sex difference across the relationship lifecycle, with men being more eager to commit, say 'I love you' first, and seek exclusivity, while women are more likely to initiate breakups.