Sex and the Sacred in North American Indigenous Art

PDF version Anthropologist Charles Lindholm (2006) writes about romantic love as a yearning for the sacred. According to philosopher Irving Singer (1984), romantic love is a combination of various aspects of love, ranging from the libidinal to the ideal. The … Continue reading

How the Australian Bullroarer Invokes the Happiness of Sexual Love

PDF version Aboriginal Australians had a longstanding belief that tjurunga—the bullroarer—brings happiness in life and lovemaking. Why so and how? Over years, anthropologists explored the rituals associated with these culturally symbolic objects. What is the Bullroarer? The bullroarer is a … Continue reading

How Can Love Accept Diversity in Physical Appearance?

PDF version Love allows us to accept many physical features of those we love. Scientific surveys provide an abundance of knowledge about standards of beautiful appearance (Karandashev, 2024). Why do we still love those who are not the most beautiful … Continue reading

Are You Prone to Parasocial Love?

PDF version. The term “parasocial love” refers to a psychological experience of admiration toward another person with whom we have no real relationship. Besides, another person may be unaware of our existence. It turns out that some individuals tend to … Continue reading

Attitudes toward Cleanliness and Wastefulness in Bicultural Marriages in Japan

PDF version. Couples in bicultural marriages face numerous challenges when trying to sustain love. Some practical issues, such as attitudes toward cleanliness and wastefulness, can play a very important role in bicultural marriages in Japan. In one of my previous … Continue reading

How Sensitivity and Humility Work in Bicultural Marriages in Japan

PDF version. Intercultural partners encounter numerous challenges when attempting to find and maintain love in a bicultural marriage. For example, culturally specific attitudes towards sensitivity and humility are crucial in bicultural marriages in Japan. In one of the previous articles, … Continue reading

In Ghanaian Culture, Love Is Helping and Caring for Others

Many studies have shown that despite cross-cultural similarities, cultural conceptions of love vary across societies (see, for review, Karandashev, 2019; 2022). Culture influences how individuals experience and express love, as well as social norms prevalent among communities (Fiske & Taylor, … Continue reading

Ghanaian Love Meets the Needs of Close Others

Modern Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic cultures commonly perceive material relationships and love relationships as existing in distinct and even opposing realms. However, in numerous other societies, expressing love typically involves providing material resources to family members and other … Continue reading

How to Love When You Experience Insecure Attachment?

Developing and maintaining a relationship with a significant other is difficult since many of us are dealing with high personal stress, anxiety, and psychological insecurity. We all want to feel satisfied with our relationship with our partner. But what if … Continue reading

Is Kissing for Love Culturally Universal?

Is kissing cross-culturally universal? Who invented kissing to express love to each other? It could seem that sexual kissing is a universal cultural practice. Artists widely portrayed the acts of kissing in a variety of material cultures, including books, paintings, … Continue reading