Romantic idealization: Difference between revisions

Early romance is often spurred by a fear of death, and once in a [[relationship]], that fear often diminishes.

<blockquote>"Originally, terror management theory proposed two psychological mechanisms in dealing with the terror of death awareness-cultural worldview validation and self-esteem enhancement. In this article, we would like to promote the idea of close [[relationship]]s as an additional death-anxiety buffering mechanism and review a growing body of empirical data that support this contention. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the sociocultural and personal functions of close [[relationship]]s, we formulate two basic hypotheses that have received empirical support in a series of experimental studies. '''First, death reminders heighten the motivation to form and maintain close [[relationship]]s. Second, the maintenance of close [[relationship]]s provides a symbolic shield against the terror of death, whereas the breaking of close [[relationship]]s results in an upsurge of death awareness.''' In addition, we present empirical evidence supporting the possibility that close [[relationship]]s function as a related yet separate mechanism from the self-esteem and cultural worldview defenses."<ref>Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., & Hirschberger, G. (2003). The existential function of close relationships: Introducing death into the science of love. Personality and social psychology review, 7(1), 20-40.</ref></blockquote>

==Relationships without romance==