Romantic Relationships

One leading hypothesis holds that female orgasm provides a bonding advantage rather than a direct reproductive one. Under the bonding hypothesis, the adaptive value of female orgasm is social and relational rather than physiological. The fact that marriage can function at all is remarkable given that it requires simultaneous alignment of drives that never evolved to work together. The article identifies prolonged sexual partnership as central to the proposed evolutionary mechanism. A partner reliably capable of inducing orgasm becomes more desirable as a long-term mate, increasing the likelihood of sustained partnership. The article argues that lifelong and intergenerational repetition of pair-bonding neurochemistry could contribute to cognitive change. The article suggests sustained pair-bonding can produce endogenous neurochemical effects relevant to consciousness and biological change. Romantic relationships serve as a clear illustration of how conflicting evolved psychological systems must coexist.