What science tells us about love
Decades of research in relationship psychology, made accessible. Bowlby, Gottman, Sternberg — their discoveries, explained clearly.
Scientific guides in English
In-depth syntheses based on international research
Attachment Theory: Bowlby's Legacy on Adult Relationships
John Bowlby's attachment theory — how our earliest relational experiences shape our adult romantic relationships. A foundational guide for understanding why we love the way we do.
Couple Communication: What 40 Years of Research Reveals
Four decades of direct couple observation by John Gottman and his teams have precisely identified the communication behaviors that predict long-term relationship satisfaction — and those that predict breakup.
Loneliness and Social Connection: What Science Reveals
Loneliness is not merely emotional discomfort — it is a biological alarm signal with measurable effects on physical health. John Cacioppo's work revolutionized our understanding of this fundamental human need for connection.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman: Theory and Practical Cases
In 1992, marriage counselor Gary Chapman proposed that everyone expresses and receives love through one dominant 'language' among five. An idea that became immensely popular — and that research nuances.
Love Styles: John Alan Lee's Typology and Sternberg's Triangle
In 1973, sociologist John Alan Lee identified 6 distinct love styles, from passionate love to altruistic love. Understanding your style — and your partner's — is a key to improving your relationship.
Relationship Satisfaction: Lessons from Scientific Research
Relationship satisfaction is one of the most studied topics in relationship psychology. Why do some couples maintain lasting happiness while others fade? The answer is less mysterious than one might think.
Relationship Satisfaction: A Science-Based Guide for Couples
Relationship satisfaction is not a fixed trait. Decades of research show which habits, skills, and expectations protect couples from decline and which accelerate it.
Attachment Theory in Practice: Secure, Anxious and Avoidant Styles
A practical guide to applying attachment theory in adult romantic relationships: understanding secure, anxious and avoidant patterns, and the pathways toward change.
Latest articles
Scientific perspectives on human relationships
Feeling Understood by Your Partner: The Science of Responsiveness
Feeling understood, validated and cared for by a partner — 'perceived partner responsiveness' — predicts satisfaction, intimacy and even desire better than most other studied factors.
Sexual Desire in Long-Term Relationships: What Science Says
Desire doesn't die with time — it reorganizes around how a couple treats each other. Communal motivation, perceived responsiveness and approach goals are the best-documented levers.
Mental Load in Relationships: What Research Shows
The division of household labor is not just about the dishes: research shows that perceived fairness predicts relationship satisfaction better than the actual split — and invisible mental load is the most underestimated piece of the puzzle.
The Science of Falling in Love: Attraction Research
We fall in love when three brain systems — lust, romantic attraction, and attachment — converge on one specific person, in a context of proximity, similarity, and perceived reciprocity. Here is what neuroscience and experimental psychology actually reveal about this mechanism.
Attachment Therapy for Anxious Attachment: How to Choose
Anxious attachment can shift with the right therapeutic approach. This guide compares EFT, AEDP, MBT and CBT, explains how to find an attachment-informed therapist, and gives a practical checklist for the first session.
Avoidant Attachment in Relationships: Why Intimacy Feels Threatening
Avoidant attachment is not a lack of love but a protective strategy against intimacy. Two forms exist: dismissive and fearful. Both create distance that partners can learn to soften.
Is Anxious Attachment a Life Sentence? A Therapist on Change
In this editorial interview, Dr Sarah Mitchell, a clinical psychologist specialising in couples therapy, discusses the neuroscience of anxious attachment, why it feels like a life sentence, and what the research actually says about changing attachment patterns through relationships and therapy.
Managing Couple Conflict: A Research-Based Guide
Managing couple conflict starts with learning to disagree without getting hurt. John Gottman, Sue Johnson, and relationship researchers show that how you fight — and how you repair — matters more than how often.
Reference researchers
Those whose work transformed our understanding of human relationships
Available in French and English
All our scientific guides are published in both languages to reach the international community of relationship researchers.