Men Often Say 'I Love You' First

Women may have a reputation for romance, but when it comes to saying the magic words—“I love you”—it turns out they’re a good deal slower than men. According to a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, two-thirds of couples report that guys said the words first. Men also are more likely to enjoy hearing the words before they’ve had sex with a partner, whereas women are more likely to enjoy hearing them after.

Why? Well, Dr. Laura Berman of the Chicago Sun-Times speculates that it comes down to biological cues. “While men are programmed to spread their seed far and wide, women are programmed to select a fit and suitable mate,” she writes. In other words, “Some men might realize that professing their love will make a woman more likely to engage in sex with them,” while women "see sex as part of a bigger picture." (More women stories.)