LOVE Really IS Blind

When you're in love, you walk around in a haze, blind to other potential mates, says a new study. In fact, for people who are already settled in a loving relationship, an attractive member of the opposite sex is repellant, not alluring. Researchers Florida State University found that while single people were naturally attentive at the sight of an attractive face, people in loving relationships became uncomfortable and looked away. This reflex, which happens before the conscious brain can process an image, is probably an evolutionary adaptation that promotes pair bonding, psychologist Joseph Forgas tells New Scientist. "What these studies suggest is that romantic love serves a very important function, tempering our natural desire to pay attention to, and to continuously seek out, the best available mate."