One Couple's Story of Love and Green Cards
Challenged by the White House's anti-immigration policy, many—like Zahara and Mohammed—are choosing to wed.
Romance
Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers Make Good Romantic Partners
New research suggests they have more mature ideas about how real-world relationships work.
PS Picks: Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou's Mystical Music
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
Musical Ability Is Attractive in a Potential Mate
New research suggests the ability to play an instrument well is surprisingly sexy.
Altruistic Men Are More Attractive to Women
In a new study, altruism trumps good looks, although the combination of both is the most desirable of all.
Romantic Desires Drive Some Women From the Lab
New research links women's poor performance on math tests with their wish to date a smarter man.
Want to Say 'I Love You'? Try Typing It Out
Surprised researchers find that, when the topic is love, we tend to communicate emotions more effectively using email rather than voicemail.
The Digital Land Mines of Modern Break-Ups
Selective disposal of digital artifacts is the best way to deal with the aftermath, but you might need your friends and an algorithm to help get you there.
The Sex Appeal of Non-Conformity
New research finds following your own path is a turn-on to potential romantic partners of both sexes.
Why Your Friends Won’t Dump Their Awful Significant Others
Forget how friends, family, and others feel. People even tend to view their partners more favorably than their partners view themselves.
When a Romance Is Threatened, People Rebound With God
And when they feel God might reject them, they buddy up to their partner.
The Feminization of Love and Masculinization of Sex
Do men pretend like they're not into Valentine's Day—or any other love-related things—because of the way society pressures them to avoid "girly" things in our culture?
Romance Readers Are Unusually Good at Sensing What Others Are Feeling
New research finds people who read romantic fiction are good at picking up subtle facial clues revealing a person’s emotional state.
Contemplating Crushes: A Scholarly Look at Love
For Valentine's Day, a roundup of recent research on romance and relationships.
Marry You? Let Me Consult My Brain Scan
Just in time for Valentine's Day, new research from China suggests information taken from fMRI scans may predict whether a new romantic relationship will last.
Going My Way? Commuting Can Draw Couples Closer
Feeling attracted to the person sitting next to you on the bus? There’s a reason for that.
Flowers Make Women More Receptive to Romance
A French researcher finds flowers really do put women in a romantic mood.
Valentine Gifts an Obligation or a Pleasure?
Attachment theory helps explain why some people consider giving gifts to their romantic partners a pleasure, while others find it decidedly uncomfortable.
Uncertainty Heightens Romantic Attraction
Newly published research suggests keeping a potential romantic partner guessing can pique his or her interest.
Love Songs Linked to Receptiveness to Romance
A new study from — where else? — France suggests listening to love songs may increase women’s receptivity to amorous advances.
Harlequin Titles Reveal Audience's Desires
An analysis of titles of Harlequin romance novels provides evidence that evolutionary impulses help explain our choice of mate.
Apparently Wallflowers Will Not Pollinate
It takes two to tango, but do it poorly and you end up dancing with yourself.
Romantic Comedies Hazard to Kids' Emotional Health?
A new analysis suggests adolescents get a distorted view of romantic relationships from viewing Hollywood movies, one that may give them unrealistic expectations for their own love lives.