Ever since 1992, the idea of the 5 love languages has spread all over our culture. Published by marriage counselor Gary Chapman in his book "The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts", Chapman proposed there were 5 main ways in which humans expressed their love to each other:
1: Physical Affection. Any form of physical touch, even ones with no sexual undertones. Things like hand holding, nuzzling, hugs, and other forms of contact appear here.
2: Acts of service: Generally seen as doing chores or undergoing difficult tasks for your partner. These could be seen as simple things that ease stress, such as dividing housework.
3: Gifts: Seen as both giving and receiving gifts, people trend towards showing affection by giving items to the person they care about. To note, the price of the item does not matter more than the sentiment behind it.
4: Words of Affirmation: Seen as any positive meaning word. While usual phrases like "I love you" land here, it's considered any form of communication that reaffirms love to the person's partner.
5: Quality Time: While simple, people prefer spending time with this person simply engaged in activities with the other. Of note, these are to be done as uninterrupted and as engaged as possible. Examples can range from having a conversation alone, to playing games or other activities.
While the veracity of the 5 love languages has been questioned over time (namely that people don't fall neatly into 5 categories and there's much overlap), it has aided people in understanding how to relate to their partners better.
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As such, I'd love to know what you think of the 5 love languages, whether you believe it works or not, and whether you have any interesting stories regarding this concept! As always, have a wonderful day, and remember you are loved.
I remember back when me and my partner were on the rocks, I took to reading love phycology, and this was one of the things that showed up. This and the entire book really helped us get back together. 5 years and still going strong.