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Cited by 2,614Attachment and Relationship DynamicsMarriage and Sexual RelationshipsFamily Dynamics and Relationships

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 41 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A triangular theory of love.

Sternberg, Robert J.·1986·Psychological Review
DOI 10.1037/0033-295x.93.2.119
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Abstract

This article presents a triangular theory of love. According the theory, has three components: (a) intimacy, which encompasses the feelings of closeness, connectedness, and bondedness one experiences in loving relationships; (b) passion, which encompasses the drives that lead romance, physical attraction, and sexual consummation; and (c) decision/commitment, which encompasses, in the short term, the decision that one loves another, and in the long term, the commitment maintain that love. The amount of one experiences depends on the absolute strength of these three components, and the kind of one experiences depends on their strengths relative each other. The three components interact with each other and with the actions that they produce and that produce them so as form a number of different kinds of loving experiences. The triangular theory of subsumes certain other theories and can account for a number of empirical findings in the research literature, as well as for a number of experiences with which many are familiar firsthand. It is proposed that the triangular theory provides a rather comprehensive basis for understanding many aspects of the that underlies close relationships. What does it mean to love someone? Does it always mean the same thing, and if not, in what ways do loves differ from each other? Why do certain loves seem last, whereas others disappear almost as quickly as they are formed? This article seeks answer these and other questions through a triangular theory of love. This tripartite theory deals both with the nature of and with loves in various kinds of relationships. The presentation of the theory will be divided into three main parts. In the first part, the main tenets of the theory will be explained and discussed, and the theory will be compared with other theories of love. In the second part, the implications of the theory for close relationships and satisfaction in them will be described. In the third part, the theory will be shown account for many of the empirical phenomena that have been observed with regard love.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0033-295x.93.2.119

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Metadata

Authors
Sternberg, R. J.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Sternberg, Robert J.
ORCID
Sternberg, Robert J.
Venue
Psychological Review
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
1986-04
Volume
93
Issue
2
Pages
119-135
ISSN
  • 0033-295X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1471
DOI
10.1037/0033-295x.93.2.119
OpenAlex
W2034890640
Cited by
2,614
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 125 · 2025: 204 · 2024: 153 · 2023: 187 · 2022: 165 · 2021: 149 · 2020: 156 · 2019: 167 · 2018: 136 · 2017: 114 · 2016: 97 · 2015: 99 · 2014: 94 · 2013: 90 · 2012: 85
FWCI
16.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Psychological Review (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
triangular theory of love, intimacy, passion, commitment, close relationships, romantic love, relationship satisfaction, theory of love

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