Throughout history and in many cultures, long-term romantic relationships have been established regularly. These connections play a central role in our lives, with emotional intimacy and belonging. What draws people into these partnerships and keeps them moving forward is that long-standing experts are fascinated by, especially when understanding what people really get from love.
Researchers led by Dr. Menelaos Apostolou of the University of Nicosia and Norwegian University of Science and Technology set out to explore the topic through a detailed two-part study. Their results appear in the Academic Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, which publishes research on how our evolutionary past shapes human behavior. The study examines how people describe the benefits of a stable romantic relationship and whether these views vary based on gender, age, or current relationship status.
Drawing on the first part of their study, which involved feedback from Greek-speaking participants, the team collected various answers about allowances that people thought existed. This includes emotional comfort, allowing someone to be intimate with their bodies and sharing daily responsibilities. Later, the answers were divided into 10 main categories and divided into two broader groups: those benefits brought from relationships, known as inner benefits (rewards available individually), and those shaped by the outside world, known as external benefits, related to social or actual benefits. The most popular aspects are the love, happiness and reliable emotional support of the partner.
People particularly value how relationships make them feel. Most participants pointed out that emotions like love, joy and warmth are at the heart of their connection. Next to it is the comfort that makes someone reliable. One person wrote: “I have someone to support me,” indicating how much it means to feel about care and understanding. Many responded to this view, which underscores how important emotional support is for a partner.
Relationships are also seen as bringing realistic benefits. Having a partner usually means less social pressure, more readily being accepted by others, and more easily managing daily tasks. For example, sharing bills and trivia is often mentioned. Many also say having an intimate partner helps them feel less lonely and more emotionally healthy. “People think that it is beneficial to have someone who keeps them company so they are not alone,” explains Dr. Apostolou, showing how important the presence of a partner is in everyday life.
Throughout the findings of Dr. Apostolou’s research, women tend to see more value in romantic relationships than men, but overall, people of all backgrounds agree on the key benefits. Factors like age or someone is currently in a relationship vary, but not the main one. It is worth noting that people who are already in relationships are more likely to highly evaluate emotional support, which may be because they are experiencing personal support.
These insights reveal important things about human behavior. When emotional happiness and the feeling of support are often described as the main benefits, it helps explain why so many people seek lasting romantic bonds. Researchers believe that these beliefs may reflect natural tendencies that humans have developed to encourage strong partnerships to help us thrive and connect with others.
Although Dr. Apostolou and his team’s research focuses on a specific group of people, it lays the foundation for comparing romantic relationships around the world. The ideas about love and partnership are based on cultural, economic conditions and social expectations. Nevertheless, a truth stands out: people often see not only romantic relationships as a path to romance, but a deep and valuable part of emotional stability, happiness and shared life.
Journal Reference
Apostolou M., Christoforou C., Lajunen TJ “What are the benefits of romantic relationships? An exploratory analysis of the perceived benefits of existing relationships.” Evolutionary Psychology, 2023. Doi:
About the Author
Dr. Menelaos Apostolou He is a professor in the Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Cyprus. His research focuses on the evolutionary roots of human mating strategies, family dynamics and behavior. Dr. Apostolou has a background in evolutionary psychology and explores how ancient survival and reproductive stress affect modern relationships and social interactions. He has written many research topics such as choosing a partner, emotional health, and motivation to maintain intimacy. His work is known for combining theoretical frameworks with real-world data, often highlighting how cultural and biological factors interact to influence human behavior. Dr. Apostolou often conducts cross-cultural research and makes sense of why people form long-term bonds and how these partnerships benefit individuals. Through qualitative and quantitative research, he brings clarity to the most personal but universal aspects of human life.
