Candy hearts, lavish flower arrangements, and boxes of chocolate line the shelves of stores, waiting to be purchased by lovebirds for their Valentine.
But if you don't have a partner to celebrate with on February 14th — and you'd like that to change — don't despair. We've got you covered.
In the interest of bolstering your love life, here are some science-backed ways to fall and stay in love.
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On a first date, get coffee, not ice cream.
Yale psychologist John Bargh has conducted a couple of studies that reveal an underlying connection between body temperature and personality.
He found that when we feel warm physically, we also tend to behave more warmly toward others. Therefore, if you want your first date to go smoothly, seek out warm places and foods — they might just help to heat things up later on.
While on that first date, be positive.
It's not all about looks.
A large 2010 study grouped over 2,100 male university students into three categories. The first group was given photos of women and asked to rate whether they found the women attractive or not. The two other groups were provided the photos along with information about the women's personalities — one group saw mostly positive information about personality traits and the other mostly negative.
The researchers discovered that the group given mostly positive personality traits found a wider variety of women attractive overall than the other two groups.
So, when you're on that first date, remember to think positively.
Listen up.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but listening is critical for all parts of a relationship — including the very beginning, the time after that honeymoon period has ended, and moments when inevitable conflicts arise.
A 2010 study of 373 couples from the University of Michigan found that those who were able to discuss issues calmly and listen to their partner when having an argument were less likely to separate later on than couples who didn't do this.
Psychotherapist M. Gary Neuman also told Business Insider that listening is key to falling in love because we all have a need to be heard.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider