Romantic love has been found in every historical era and in every culture for which data are available. To those familiar with the research literature, romantic love today is no longer the mystery it has been considered to be throughout the ages. Nevertheless, there is much more to learn, and romantic love remains a thriving topic of research for social psychologists.

Aspects of romantic love are found in many animal species, and love may have played a central role in shaping human evolution. In humans, romantic love is a source of some of the deepest joys and greatest problems, including depression, abandonment rage, stalking, suicide, and homicide. Therefore, social psychologists and other scientists have devoted a great deal of research to understanding romantic love.