The salience of love feelings and ‘emotional connection’ in young adults’ intimate relationships in Canada

In recent decades, the Global North witnessed an erosion of traditional frameworks governing intimate relationships. This shift expanded the spectrum of possibilities through which individuals may construct relational forms, life courses, and emotional experience. Transformations appear pronounced among young adults, who increasingly engage in nonmonogamous arrangements, casual encounters, and other non-traditional relational practices, while frequently postponing the establishment of a long-term, cohabiting partnership. Young adults' practices are also intertwined with dating apps, which offer opportunities to explore intimate experiences. The pursuit of emotional connection (an umbrella term indicating strong feelings of security, attuning, and intimacy) within committed romantic relationships remains a central concern for a significant proportion of users. The model of the stable, co-residential couple endures as a framework for the pursuit of personal happiness and fulfilment. Based on two qualitative studies with independent samples of Canadian adults (n=17 for Study 1, n=13 for Study 2, total=30), we discuss how emotional connection and love feelings remain central in young people's expectations and aspirations, whether they look for or are already in a relationship. Our results show how young adults negotiate emotional connection in a complex nexus of socio-cultural transformations (including dating technologies), diversification of life paths, and relationship options.