One such study surveyed 172 college students. "Men," it said, "reported falling in love earlier and expressing it earlier than women reported. These results indicate that women may not be the greater 'fools for love' that society assumes."

It's an excruciatingly common misperception that straight women throw themselves headlong into the classic three-word declaration, desperate to know "what we are" and "where we're going." But studies show heterosexual men tend to fall in love, or believe they have fallen in love, much faster than their female partners.

This finding was at odds with the students' preconceived notions, says psychologist Marissa Harrison, who co-authored the study. "Women are assumed to be emotional; sometimes overly so, or rash," she tells Broadly. "Both men and women in our study presumed that women would fall in love and say 'I love you' faster than men."

Neil Lamont, a London-based psychologist, thinks people generally tend to see men as more pragmatic or even commitment-avoidant. "[But] meaningful relating is as important to men as it is to women. And while societal and cultural norms may have dictated that men should be strong and resilient, the reality is [that] a well-lived life for men will typically involve deep and meaningful, loving relationships."

Men are far more inclined to get fired up about a mate but also more likely to look around.

As for why they might fall in love faster, Marissa says women are evolutionarily more cautious—with good reason. "I think women unconsciously postpone love compared to men. Women have a lot more to lose reproductively by committing to the wrong man. They are born with a finite number of eggs, yet men produce millions of sperm on a daily basis.

"If women commit to and get pregnant by an unworthy mate [with] no help rearing a child, that would be very costly, time- and resource-wise."

Ingrid Collins, a psychologist at the London Medical Centre, says male behavior showcases an aspect of nature that is also played out in the animal kingdom. "The male is usually the hunter and is more likely to be immediately stimulated. The woman is more focused on long-term stability because that's better for child-rearing."

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If that wasn't enough of a romance killer, "falling in love" quickly might also be a method of claiming territory, says Neil. "For males, the drive will be to secure a bond as quickly as possible and with less pressure of 'getting it right' the first time, compared to the potentially greater physical and emotional investment involved for women."