Discuss the basic assumptions and criticisms of the theories of love discussed in the text.

Biological Perspective: This perspective maintains that love is grounded in evolution,biology,and chemistry.Love is essential from an evolutionary perspective to keep parents in long term relationships to care for children.Chemicals in our brains bring people together by first producing feelings of elation.As the relationship grows,other chemicals produce feelings of comfort and security.Problems with this perspective is that studies typically rely on small samples of female volunteers,and it is unclear how chemicals "cause" love.Attachment Theory: This perspective proposes that our primary motivation in life is to be connected with other people,because this is the only true security we will ever have.Theorists have examined how the three attachment styles identified by Ainsworth (secure,anxious/ambivalent,avoidant)in infants are related to adult relationships.A criticism of this perspective is that attachment styles can change over the life course as various events occur in one's life and that these events are more important than early bonding with one's mother in determining adult well-being.Reiss's Wheel Theory of Love: Reiss describes four stages of love that a relationship moves through: rapport,self-revelation,mutual dependency,and personality need fulfillment.Relationships can go through these stages many times.A criticism of this theory is that it ignores the variations in intensity between stages of the relationship.Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love: Sternberg proposes that love has three components: intimacy,passion,and decision/commitment.If all three components are absent there is no love.If all three are present,there is consummate love.If the components vary in intensity for each partner,this can lead to dissatisfaction in the relationship.A basic criticism of this theory is that "perfectly matched" couples exist only in Disney movies.Also,the three dimensions vary depending on marital status.Lee's styles of Loving: Lee identified six basic styles of loving which overlap and may vary in intensity: eros,mania,ludus,storge,agape,and pragma.This perspective is useful for developing scales to measure attitudes about love.No criticisms are listed in the text.Exchange Theory: Romantic and long-term love relationships involve social exchanges in the sense that they provide rewards and costs for each partner.If the interactions are mutually satisfying the relationship will continue.The theory takes into account that our perceptions of rewards and costs will change over time.No criticisms are listed in the text.