Love

&
Joy
LOVE
 Romantic love is linked to the “perpetuation of the species and
therefore have a closely linked biological function of crucial
evolutionary importance.” (Parker, 2004)
 “Early and intense romantic love may have more to do with
motivation, reward, and drive…than with emotions or sex drive.”
 Romantic love happens in the basal ganglia region of the brain and
on the right side. Facial attraction happens on the left side though.
(Parker, 2005)
 Feelings of romantic love might change into feelings of attachment
over time.
 In people with longer romantic relationships, their fMRI images
showed more activity in the ventral pallidum portion of the basal
ganglia. In this region, receptors for vasopressin and oxytocin are
critical for attachment. (Society for Neuroscience, 2003)
 “Maternal and romantic love share a common and
crucial evolutionary purpose…: the maintenance and
perpetuation of the species. Both ensure the formation
of firm bonds between individuals by making this
behavior a rewarding experience. (Parker, 2005)
 Parts of the prefrontal cortex seems to switch off when
we are in love and when we love our children. (Parker,
2004)
 “Human attachment…bonds individuals through the
involvement of the reward circuitry explaining the power
of love to motivate and exhilarate.” (Parker, 2005)
JOY
 Oxford Happiness Questionnaire
 The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was developed by
psychologists Michael Argyle and Peter Hills at Oxford
University. This is a way to get a snapshot of your current
level of happiness.
 http://www.meaningandhappiness.com/oxford-happiness-q
uestionnaire/214/
 Happiness may be integral to mental and physical health.
 Happy individuals instead tend to be relatively more cooperative, prosocial, charitable,
and “other-centered.” (Lyubomirsky,112)
 Happiness also reduces the risk or limit the severity of cardiovascular disease,
pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, colds, and upper-respiratory infections are
well.
 Happy people are more likely to evidence greater self-control and self-regulatory and
coping abilities to have a bolstered immune system and even to live a longer life.
 Some people are genetically predisposed to be happy by virtue of their busy prefrontal
cortexes.
 Many neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and
more.
 Animal studies have shown that dopamine mediates the transfer of signals
associated with positive emotions between the left prefrontal area and the
emotional centers in the limbic area of the brain, such as the nucleus accumbens,
situated within the ventral striatum. In humans, people with a sensitive version of
the receptor that accepts dopamine tend to have better moods. (Lemonick, 2005)
 Laughing contributes to feelings of joy and happiness.
 Humor decreases stress, boosts immune defenses, relaxes muscle tension,
decreases blood pressure, and modulates pain. (Restak, 91)
 “Laughter has many subtle effects on our social companions. It breaks the
ice, achieves closeness, bonds us, generates goodwill, and dampens hostility
and aggression. Observe how we laugh when we want to deflate tension
between strangers or need to say no to someone. Laughter disarms people,
creates a bridge between them, and facilitates amicable behavior.”
 –Behavioral biologist Silvia H. Cardoso in the journal, Cerebrum.

(Restak, 94)
 Humor-processing circuit involves parts of the frontal lobe (especially the
supplementary motor area (SMA) and the nucleus accumbens. (“pleasure
pathway”)
 SMA processes both cognitive aspect of humor as well as the motor part

(facial movement and breathing from smiling and laughing.)

 Circuitry for humor and laughter also includes a part of the hypothalamus

called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), the temporal lobe, and its
connections to the amygdala, and the junction within the brainstem,
pons, and medulla. (Restak, 92)
  People with frontal lobe damage (especially in the right frontal
top39.com
lobe)… rarely laugh spontaneously, fail to appreciate humor,
and laugh and smile less when hearing a joke.
 Don’t react humorously to cartoons, since frontal lobe
damage interferes with the ability to focus attention and
visually explore the cartoon for the important details that
render it humorous.
 Similarly occurs in people with Alzheimer’s Disease.
 Results from damage to areas of that brain important in

the formation and maintenance of memory.

 Damage to hippocampus (common in Alzheimer’s

victims) interferes with encoding the details of a joke.

 Frontal lobe damage impairs the working memory

required to link material from the beginning of the joke to

the humor at the end. (Restak, 93)

dan-dare.org
WORKS CITED
 Lemonick, Michael D., and Dan Cray. “The Biology of Joy.” Time 17 Jan. 2005: n. pag. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 27 Jan. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/ detail?hid=112&sid=7b780ad1-7fe1-437c-a39b-
c8d9949b8368%40sessionmgr112&vid=9&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGI2ZQ%3d
%3d#db=a9h&AN=1559930> The article discusses how joy is produced in the brain through neurotransmitters in
the prefrontal cortex. The information is proven through studies done by several different people in the
psychology field.
 Lyubomirsky, Sonja, Kennon M. Sheldon, and David Schkade. "Pursuing Happiness: The Architecture of
Sustainable Change." Review of General Psychology 9.2 (2005): 111-131. University of Minnesota Department of
Psychology. Web. 25 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.psych.umn.edu/courses/fall06/macdonalda/psy4960/Readings/LyubomirskySustain_RGP05.pdf>.
The authors propose that a person’s chronic happiness level is determined by three major factors: a genetically
determined set point for happiness, happiness-relevant circumstantial factors, and happiness-relevant activities and
practices. They then consider adaptation and dynamic processes to show why the activity category offers the best
opportunities for sustainably increasing happiness. Finally, existing research is discussed in support of the model,
including 2 preliminary happiness-increasing interventions.
 Parker, Randall. "Love Deactivates Brain Areas For Fear, Planning, Critical Social Assessment."FuturePundit.
N.p., 17 June 2004 Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002183.html>. Vasopressin and
their involvement in both romantic and maternal love is shown through citing a study done by researchers at the
Yerkes National Primate Research Center (Emory University) and Atlanta's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience.
With additional vasopressin, normally promiscuous meadow voles became unnaturally monogamous.
 Parker, Randall. "Romantic Love Seen As Motivation Or Drive Rather Than Emotional State."
FuturePundit. N.p., 31 May 2005 Web. 24 Feb. 2011. fMRI brain scans of seventeen young men
and women in the early stages of romantic love who consider themselves “newly and madly in
love” indicate that romantic love is more about reward than emotions. The area of the brain that
controls motivation is involved also.
 Restak, Richard, M.D. The New Brain: How the Modern Age is Rewiring Your Mind. Illus.
Molly Borman. 2003. Emmaus: Rodale Inc. , 2004. Print. The author shows how the human
brain is being changed by the increasing popularity and use of technology in our lives. The
ability to gain new insight into the mind due to this technology is described by showing how
researchers can now learn so much more about the human brain.
 Society For Neuroscience. "Scientists Uncover Neurobiological Basis For Romantic Love, Trust,
And Self." ScienceDaily 11 November 2003. 24 February 2011 http://www.sciencedaily.com­
/releases/2003/11/031111064658.htm. This article explains the chemical and neurological
processes that create a chain reaction that ends in the feelings of romantic love between new
couples that fall in the age bracket between 20 and 25. How these feelings are connected to the
“reward” factor in the brain is also demonstrated.
 Wright, Steve, Dr. "Oxford Happiness Questionaire." Meaning and Happiness.com. N.p., 2011.
Web. 3 Feb. 2011. <http://www.meaningandhappiness.com/oxford-happiness-
questionnaire/214/>. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was developed by psychologists
Michael Argyle and Peter Hills at Oxford University. This is a way to get a snapshot of your
current level of happiness.