(…) falling in love, or just become besotted with anyone or anything (including your pet dog), seem to switch off the rational capacities of the brain that would normally allow us to evaluate other people and situations more critically and sceptically. Of course, this makes it possible for us to give ourselves wholly and unstintingly to the object of our affections without being too shy and retiring or too critical of their behaviour. In a word, your rational thinking centres are being deliberately switched off so that you don’t ask too many questions and give up to early.

—Robin Dunbar, Friends, Little Brown, 2021