Love and Attraction in the Brain

Testosterone is primarily known as the hormone involved in male dominance, aggression and sex. Oxytocin, a hormone released in childbirth, was dubbed the 'love drug' by the media due to its reportedly positive effect on social behaviour. In my talk I will touch upon the way in each of these hormones leaves a footprint on how are brains are shaped and how they influence our day-to-day lives.

Are there differences between men and women as they develop a sexual orientation? This talk will explain how sexual arousal may influence a man's sexual preference and the role romantic love may play in a woman's description of her sexual orientation. It further considers the expression of sexual orientation among girls and boys during early adolescence, when sexual impulses are more subtle compared to the later stages of life.

Our research examines a computers' ability to make personality judgements – a ubiquitous and important social-cognitive activity. We find that personality judgements made by computers based on digital footprints (Facebook Likes) are comparable to those made by romantic partners. The ability to accurately assess psychological traits occupies an important milestone on the path towards more social human-computer interactions.