According to a survey of 1,387 students in Sociology 101 classes at a large west coast university, 25.8% of college students “somewhat” or “strongly agree” that romantic love brainwashes women. Another 20% could be convinced. Interestingly, the numbers were similar for men and women, though women were a bit more likely to agree.
Data from “Hey God, is that You in my underpants?” by Roger Friedland and Paolo Gardinali, published in Intimacies: A New World of Relational Life.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 18
Jason J. Shaw — March 28, 2015
Romantic love stories? Certainly portrayal of love in the media has an influence on people, if that is what this is about.
physioproffe — March 28, 2015
It's heartening that so many college students understand that the lie of "romantic love" is toxic and destructive to genuine happiness.
Dave — March 28, 2015
WTF does that question even mean?
Or to put it less colloquially. That seems like a question open to a lot of different interpretations. There's no context, and no parallel to whether it brainwashes men. What can you possibly learn from that question?
Bill R — March 28, 2015
No idea what that's supposed to mean and I'm assuming the respondents didn't either...
Mathew Toll — March 29, 2015
Do they mean that romance novels/films/tv shows are a form of patriarchal control?
John George — March 29, 2015
I am surprised that this particular survey didn't have a much higher percentage thinking love brainwashes women. Since the survey was taken only by students in sociology 101, it would be very interesting to see how it would compare to a similar survey of students taking, for example, math, philosophy or accounting classes.
This survey suggests that outside of students in sociology or gender studies classes over 80% of women (and probably well over 80%) do not think that love brainwashes them.
ebeeb — March 29, 2015
What? I agree with other commenters--this question is meaningless. Brainwash women to believe what? Is the question asking about the idea of romantic love as portrayed in the media, or is it saying that somehow actually falling in love brainwashes women to believe...something? It's a question wide-open for interpretation, and the fact that the question specifically asks about women as opposed to people in general is probably what was vaguely damning enough to get students to reply "agree." What a useless survey.
A Quarter of College Students Think that Love Brainwashes Women - Treat Them Better — March 31, 2015
[…] A Quarter of College Students Think that Love Brainwashes Women […]
alex — November 10, 2015
Ha! So many males here are disappointed in the article! They do not want the truth to be out! They know that without a perceived emotional benefit, womyn would have no use for males since our sex drive is low and we can make our own money. Yet this perceived emotional benefit is indeed false. It is propogated on a grand scale by patriarchy in the media, religions, etc. This sets the stage so that individual males can then move in for the kill and finish the brainwashing. Males are not able to love. They are psychopathic sex fiends and yet they're not even good at sex. Then by 40, erectile dysfunction sets in while they're still, somehow obsessed with sex. Good thing that with every passing generation, marriage and "love" lose its power. Very good thing.
BlueLanternMonk — November 22, 2015
Women are being brainwashed,therefore lack Agency.... Where have I heard that before?! Female In Group Bias is hard at work here!
"I am Jill's Missing sense of Agency" -Me
Doora — June 12, 2023
Nice one
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