Modernization, collectivism, and gender equality predict love experiences in 45 countries

Summary

This large cross-cultural study investigated how country-level social and economic factors relate to people's experiences of love. Drawing on responses from 9,474 individuals across 45 countries, the authors tested associations between reported love and national indicators including modernization proxies (Human Development Index, a world modernization index, and the Gender Inequality Index), collectivism, and average annual temperature. Mean levels of love, particularly the intimacy component, were higher in countries with greater modernization, higher collectivism, and warmer average temperatures. The results suggest that broad societal and ecological conditions are systematically linked to how intensely love is experienced. The work extends cross-cultural love research beyond individual-level predictors to country-level context.