According to a recent study of 172 college-age men, yes, guys do fall in love faster than women.
They are also more apt to express that love, whereas women tend to be a bit more cautious in both behavioral traits and emotions.
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More about this study
The co-author of it was noted Pennsylvania State University psychologist, Marissa Harrison. She discussed her findings with Broadly.
These results were somewhat surprising because the opposite was always assumed.
In the past, women were thought to fall in love faster and express that love more readily than men. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
The study can be taken seriously, as it was done by experts in the fields of psychology and relationships.
Is there any particular amount of time it takes for a man to fall in love?
Once again experts weighed in on this topic. They said the average man can fall in love within 88 days of meeting a woman or another man.
A poll done by Elite Singles back in 2017 found that 72% of men fell in love at first sight.
Does this mean a lasting relationship will follow?
Not necessarily. Although this information sounds quite romantic, unfortunately, these feelings of love are not always shared by the object of their affections.
It can lead to a broken heart for the man who fell in love so fast. Sometimes though, a lasting relationship can begin in this fashion.
In this case, their partner also believed in love at first sight. The marriage lasted for decades.
What about the same question for women?
The same experts looking at these studies, plus other factors, claim that it can take the typical woman 134 days to fall in love.
In the same Elite Singles poll, roughly 61% of women are reported to believe in love at first sight. Of course, there are exceptions.
And in these cases, sometimes a woman can also wind up with a broken heart.
Has more research been done on the topic of men falling in love faster than women?
Yes, including the opinions of other industry experts. London-based psychologist, Neil Lamont, said that the general public falsely believes that men are afraid of commitment and are more pragmatic than women.
Neil Lamont goes on to say that this is simply not true, especially nowadays.
In reality, it is the men who involve themselves in a deep and meaningful relationship quicker than their female counterparts.
Who will say, “I love you” first, a man or a woman?
Once again, the results of the research are surprising. They indicate that it is usually the man who declares his love first.
The woman often waits until she is sure of how her mate feels before she expresses her feelings. This is true in same-sex relationships as well as heterosexual ones.
Why will a woman hesitate to say, “I love you?”
She sees this as a very risky move and one that can lead to heartache if she jumps the gun.
Although she may feel love for the man or woman of her affections, the woman will wait as long as she can to state that.
She wants to feel confident that her feelings are shared by her romantic interest.
Does age play a role in how fast a man falls in love?
It certainly can. If a guy is fairly young, he might fall in love much faster than a middle-aged or older guy. It also depends on his culture and family upbringing.
If a guy was raised in a loving family, he may seek a lasting relationship at a young age.
In this case, he tends to fall in love quickly and perhaps more often than a man with more years behind him.
How can his past relationships affect how quickly he falls in love?
If a man comes from a broken marriage, he will likely be far more cautious about falling in love again.
He is already familiar with the heartaches associated with rushing into a relationship. This means he won’t want to repeat these actions.
He will now take quite a bit of time before expressing his feelings of love.
What if he is widowed?
The actions of becoming a widow are vastly different from that of a person who has experienced a broken marriage.
In this case, the loving relationship ended with the passing of the spouse. The relationship may have been marvelous.
This man would be willing to fall in love again and may do so quickly. The only thing deterring him would be the memory of his dearly departed mate.
Who falls more deeply in love, men or women?
Pennsylvania State University psychologist, Marissa Hamilton weighs in once again on the results of her studies.
She states not only do men fall in love faster but also a lot harder than women. The love within his heart for his partner runs as deep as a river.
The exception could be if he has suffered a broken heart in the past. Then he will not be too anxious to repeat this. Now he will be far more cautious.
Unseen requirements play a part in this
What are we talking about? Both men and women tend to have a list of unspoken requirements that a potential mate must have.
If the subject of his feelings does not meet at least most of these requirements, this man may hesitate to fall in love.
The same study we have been mentioning reveals that a man has less stringent requirements than a woman. So again, he does tend to fall in love quicker.
What are some risks involved with falling in love quickly?
There are several. Let’s examine them:
- The love is not reciprocated – this man has fallen head-over-heels in love with someone. However, that person does not feel the same way toward him. The consequences could be catastrophic for him.
- The woman could be skeptical of the man’s feelings – the man has declared his love for her. Yet she is unsure that his feelings are genuine. Maybe he says that to many women. How can she be sure he really loves HER?
- Both parties were very young when love was declared – neither one had a chance to find themselves or experience life. This can lead to the eventual break-up of the couple in question. This scenario does happen frequently.
- Is he experiencing love or lust? – this is a good question to answer. If a man thinks he loves a woman or man, how can he be sure it is love and not lust? There needs to be bonding on the deepest level for a relationship to succeed. Lust is not part of the equation. This relationship is doomed.
Our society and love trends
Our society definitely plays a part in men falling in love so quickly. Over the various centuries, people have evolved, as have their emotions.
Back then it might have been unheard of for a man to fall in love fast. That was reserved for the woman.
However, now our society has changed. Today’s men tend to be fairly sensitive and in touch with their feelings.
Along with that comes results like in the studies we have been referring to. Now it has been scientifically proven that guys fall in love faster than women.
Will this trend continue? Only time will tell.
