Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Sep 12.
Published in final edited form as: Soc Personal Psychol Compass. 2017 Feb 16;11(2):e12298. doi: 10.1111/spc3.12298

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1

The Physiology of Romantic Pair Bond Initiation and Maintenance Model depicts reciprocal effects of the stress response system (SRS) and romantic pair bonds, and their dependence on the context in which they occur. In a non-stress environment (context A), activation (+) of the SRS (Box 1) may serve a necessary function for pair bond formation by facilitating approach, attention, and connectedness (Box 2). During the solidification of a pair bond, partners affect, behavior, and physiology become coordinated over time, facilitating cohesion and perspective taking among partners (Box 3). Therefore, in the presence of a threat or challenge (context B) the presence of a romantic partner helps regulate or dampen (−) activation of the SRS (Box 4)