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A triangular theory of love.
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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In the citing paper
“Sternberg (1986Sternberg ( , 1988) ) synthesizes previous attempts and defines love according to three constituent components: intimacy, passion, and commitment.”
From Strengthening Customer Loyalty through Intimacy and Passion: Roles of Customer–Firm Affection and Customer–Staff Relationships in Services (2008) · cites this paper as Sternberg 1986
In the citing paper
“Second, Sternberg's (1986) triangular theory of love and its constituent components apply to exemplary services on the transactional-relational continuum.”
From Strengthening Customer Loyalty through Intimacy and Passion: Roles of Customer–Firm Affection and Customer–Staff Relationships in Services (2008) · cites this paper as Sternberg (1986)
In the citing paper
“These three components are believed to be essential in forming and sustaining romantic relationships (Sternberg, 1986;Hatfield et al., 1988;Sternberg, 1997).”
From I love you, my AI companion! Do you? Perspectives from the Triangular Theory of Love and Attachment Theory (2026) · cites this paper as Sternberg, 1986
In the citing paper
“The Triangular Theory of Love has been widely accepted and adopted, due to its robustness and universality, across relationships of different natures (Sternberg, 1986).”
From I love you, my AI companion! Do you? Perspectives from the Triangular Theory of Love and Attachment Theory (2026) · cites this paper as Sternberg, 1986
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“Future studies should examine whether death-related cognition contributes to persistence in worldview-reinforcing relationships that have become stagnant (Sternberg, 1986).”
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Are love styles related to sexual styles?
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“AI systems strive for personalized, consistent experiences, emulating intimacy and commitment (Sternberg 1986).”
InfluentialForbidden Fruit: Inattention to Attractive Alternatives Provokes Implicit Relationship Reactance
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“However, this study is closer to the definition of Sternberg et al as intimate relationship was a kind of relationship between people with a strong sense of closeness, connection and bonding physical and psychological experience.([12]) Theoretically, the two sides who establish intimate relationship produce psychologi…”
BackgroundReflection on Loving Pedagogy and Students' Engagement in EFL/ESL Classrooms
Zhao, S., & Li, M. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757697 · Cited by 41
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“Os três componentes do amor, embora possam ser vistos como isolados, interagem entre si (Engel et al., 2002; Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundInfluentialBeyond Brand Personality: Building Consumer–Brand Emotional Relationship
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The Evolution of Love in Humans
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“…between passionate and companionate love; Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, with the key components of passion, intimacy, and commitment (Sternberg, 1986 ); Fehr’s ( 1988 , 2015 ) prototype analysis of love, which identifi es caring and intimacy as the most central and passion as…”
BackgroundLocked‐Down Love: A Study of Intimate Relationships Before and After the COVID Lockdown
Ahuja, K. K., & Khurana, D. (2021) · Family Relations · doi:10.1111/fare.12582 · Cited by 25
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“One potential reason for the deviation from past findings may be linked to how intimacy and passion are conceptualized in the TTL ( Sternberg, 1986 ).”
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How deep is your love? Brand love analysis applied to football teams
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Love Styles Among Portuguese Students
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Development of a brand image scale and the impact of lovemarks on brand equity
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“The psychology literature included feelings of love (e.g., Aron et al., 1991; Hendrick & Hendrick, 1986, Hendrick et al., 1988; Lee, 1977; Rubin, 1970; Sternberg, 1986, 1997), and perceptions of respect (e.g., Frei & Shaver, 2002; Hendrick & Hendrick, 2006).”
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“The work of the well-known sociologist John Alan Lee (1977) intensified the taxonomical approach, which continues to characterize research in the social and psychological sciences (see Sternberg 1986; Berscheid 2006; Hendrick and Hendrick 2006).”
BackgroundMvondo, G. F. N., Jing, F., Hussain, K., Jin, S., & Raza, M. A. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.866362 · Cited by 39
“As a driving force for consumer–brand relationship, Sternberg (1986) explained that passion is a “hot” element, resulting in romance, physical attraction, adoration, and idealization of a significant other.”
BackgroundParasocial Romance: A Social Exchange Perspective
Adam, A., & Sizemore, B. (2013) · Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships · doi:10.5964/ijpr.v7i1.106 · Cited by 32
“Romantic relationships are characterized by positive affect or passion, commitment and physical intimacy in a reciprocal relationship (Moss & Schwebel, 1993; Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundBrand fidelity: a relationship maintenance perspective
Grace, D., Ross, M., & King, C. (2018) · Journal of Brand Management · doi:10.1057/s41262-018-0127-z · Cited by 44
Body image and the role of romantic relationships
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“Love thyself before loving others?”
BackgroundDoes brand love matter to casual restaurants? A multi-group path analysis
Shen, Y., Huang, S., Choi, H. C., & Morrison, A. M. (2021) · Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management · doi:10.1080/19368623.2021.1867282 · Cited by 39
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“Sternberg (1986) indicates that intimacy converts partners into a watchdog of the behavior of the other and behaves in the manner that protects or defends their relationship.”
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Why Unhappy Customers Are Unlikely to Share Their Opinions with Brands
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“Because consumers’ interaction with brands and other people do not always follow the same patterns (Batra, Ahuvia, and Bagozzi 2012; Sternberg 1986), the activation of aversion to criticize—which applies to human-to-human interactions—as a suppressor of sharing with a brand is not a foregone…”
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Kapeleris, A. R., & Paivio, S. C. (2011) · Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1080/10926771.2011.595764 · Cited by 39
“Levy and Davis (1988) also tested the relationship between Sternberg‟s threecomponent model of love (1986) and attachment style in adulthood and found that all three components (intimacy, passion, and commitment) were positively related to secure”
BackgroundSEXUAL ATTARACTION AND ROMANTIC LOVE: FORGOTTEN VARIABLES IN MARITAL THERAPY*
Roberts, T. W. (1992) · Journal of Marital and Family Therapy · doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.1992.tb00949.x · Cited by 38
DESCRIBING THE NEOCLASSICAL PSYCHE EMBEDDED IN STERNBERG'S TRIANGULAR THEORY OF LOVE
Diessner, R., Frost, N. K., & Smith, T. (2004) · Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal · doi:10.2224/sbp.2004.32.7.683 · Cited by 36
“The decision/commitment component is structured temporally and consists of two facets, one in the present and one in the future (Sternberg, 1986, 1988, 1997).”
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“The concept of brand love initially grew out of theories of interpersonal love in the psychology literature (Shimp and Madden 1988; Sternberg 1986).”
Comprehensive scoping review of research on intercultural love and romantic relationships
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Towards a Comprehensive Theory of Love: The Quadruple Theory
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“Attachment is essential to commitment and satisfaction in a relationship (Péloquin et al., 2013) and commitment leads to greater intimacy (Sternberg, 1986).”
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“The concept of self-connection toward branding or an organization is comparable to the notion of team identification; self-connection thus represents who they are and how their identities guide their behaviors (Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundSocial Exchange and Emotional Investment in Work Groups
Saavedra, R., & Dyne, L. V. (1999) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1023/a:1021377028608 · Cited by 37
“For example, Sternberg (1986) surmises that intimacy is largely composed of emotional elements and seems to function in ways quite akin to those of emotions.”
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Berscheid, E., & Meyers, S. A. (1996) · Personal Relationships · doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.1996.tb00102.x · Cited by 37
Machiavellianism and Dating: Deception and Intimacy
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“Intimacy, as construed by Sternberg (1986), entails mutual feelings of trust and connectedness.”
BackgroundThe Critical Role of Brand Love in Clothing Brands
Turgut, M. Ü., & GÜLTEKİN, B. (2015) · Pressacademia · doi:10.17261/pressacademia.201519963 · Cited by 39
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Negative emotions toward a financial brand: the opposite impact on brand love
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“Intimacy, broadly defined as people’s perceptions of connectedness, closeness, and bondedness within a relationship (Sternberg, 1986), exerts a substantial influence over both message production and message processing (Altman & Taylor, 1973; Brown & Levinson, 1987).”
BackgroundJózefacka, N., Szpakiewicz, E., Lech, D., Guzowski, K., & Kania, G. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20054103 · Cited by 34
“One of the key concepts relating to relationship satisfaction is Sternberg’s three-factor Theory of Love [7].”
BackgroundInfluentialCross-sex Friendships: Who has More?
Lenton, A. P., & Webber, L. (2006) · Sex Roles · doi:10.1007/s11199-006-9048-5 · Cited by 35
“Thereafter, they responded to the 15item ‘Decision/ Commitment’ subscale of Sternberg’s (1997) Triangular Love Scale (e.”
BackgroundMethodCommitment and Dyadic Coping in Long-Term Relationships
Landis, M., Bodenmann, G., Bradbury, T. N., et al. (2014) · GeroPsych · doi:10.1024/1662-9647/a000112 · Cited by 35
“Commitment includes the long-term perspective to enter and sustain an intimate relationship (Frank & Brandstätter, 2002; Sternberg, 1986; Wieselquist, Rusbult, Foster, & Agnew, 1999).”
BackgroundThe emergence of a new paradigm in sex therapy: integration
Weeks, G. R. (2005) · Sexual & Relationship Therapy · doi:10.1080/14681990412331333955 · Cited by 35
“The first framework that is useful was developed by Sternberg (1986).”
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Hashim, S., Yasin, N. M., & Ya’kob, S. A. (2020) · Journal of Marketing for HIGHER EDUCATION · doi:10.1080/08841241.2020.1713278 · Cited by 41
Understanding destination brand love using machine learning and content analysis method
Seyyedamiri, N., Pour, A. H., Zaeri, E., et al. (2021) · Current Issues in Tourism · doi:10.1080/13683500.2021.1924634 · Cited by 35
“, 2019), hence, numerous studies on brand love have 67 used interpersonal love theory to explain the concept (Sternberg, 1986) or to conceptualize the 68 love of consumers toward brands (Batra et al.”
BackgroundGhorbanzadeh, D. (2021) · Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration · doi:10.1108/apjba-07-2020-0225 · Cited by 48
Understanding Consumer Brand Love, Brand Commitment, and Brand Loyalty
Wong, A. (2023) · Journal of Relationship Marketing · doi:10.1080/15332667.2023.2173937 · Cited by 36
“Given that the interpersonal love literature generally presented love as a multidimensional construct (Sternberg, 1986), to examine brand love, a multi-faceted construct comprising six dimensions (i.e., uniqueness, pleasure, intimacy, duration, memories, and dreams) is adapted in this study to…”
BackgroundEffects of self‐disclosure and responsiveness between couples on passionate love within couples
Welker, K., Baker, L., Padilla, A., Holmes, H. J., Aron, A., & Slatcher, R. (2014) · Personal Relationships · doi:10.1111/pere.12058 · Cited by 30
“The pretest also included measures of commitment (Sternberg, 1986) and relationship closeness strength (RCI Strength subscale; Berscheid, Snyder, & Omoto,”
MethodLes liens attachants : Mesurer la force de l'attachement émotionnel des consommateurs à la marque
Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Park, C. W. (2005) · Recherche et Applications en Marketing (French Edition) · doi:10.1177/076737010502000105 · Cited by 34
“…sur l’attachement aux objets (e.g., S.S. Kleine, Kleine et Allen, 1995 ; Richins, 1994a, 1994b), et sur l’amour (e.g., Aron et Westbay, 1996, Aron, Aron et Allen, 1998 ; Fehr et Russel, 1991 ; Hazan et Shaver, 1987, 1994 ; Hendrick et Hendrick, 1989 ; Shaver et alii, 1987 ; Sternberg, 1986, 1987).”
Interpersonal Processes in Romantic Relationships
Vangelisti, A. L. (2012) · Cited by 35
The effects of gender and type of romantic touch on perceptions of relational commitment
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“The psychological literature ( Sternberg, 1986 ) indicates that commitment is a crucial component of Iove's meanings, thus warranting its evaluation as a distinct category within the expansive meanings of touch.”
BackgroundSocially Desirable Responding and Impression Management in the Endorsement of Love Styles
Davies, M. (2001) · The Journal of psychology · doi:10.1080/00223980109603719 · Cited by 42
Srivastava, N., Dash, S. B., & Mookerjee, A. (2016) · Marketing Intelligence & Planning · doi:10.1108/mip-01-2015-0004 · Cited by 35
Measuring Positive Emotionality: A Review of Instruments Assessing Love
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“The current view of love reflects a complex, multidimensional concept that is difficult, if not impossible, to define in a universal manner (Beall & Sternberg, 1995; Hendrick & Hendrick, 1989). Thompson and Borrello (1992a) explained that scholars use "two distinct lines of inquiry regarding the nature of love" (p.”
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Antecedents and outcomes of attachment towards smartphone applications
Kim, C. K., Jun, M., Han, J., Kim, M., & Kim, J. Y. (2013) · International Journal of Mobile Communications · doi:10.1504/ijmc.2013.055750 · Cited by 35
“One of the main effects of attachment is to build positive emotions through positive arousal (Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundInfluentialRomantic Love in Heterosexual Relationships: Women’s Experiences
Schäfer, G. (2008) · Journal of Social Sciences · doi:10.1080/09718923.2008.11892617 · Cited by 34
“Sternberg (1986, 1987), in his “triangular theory of love”, posits that intimacy, passion, and commitment are the three major components of romantic love.”
Regulation of Romantic Love Feelings: Preconceptions, Strategies, and Feasibility
Langeslag, S. J. E., & Strien, J. W. V. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161087 · Cited by 39
“Infatuation is the overwhelming, amorous feeling for one individual, and is similar to the concepts ‘passion’ or ‘infatuated love’ [10], ‘romantic love’ [11], ‘passionate love’ [12], and ‘attraction’ [13].”
ResultLOVE STYLES AND ROMANTIC LOVE EXPERIENCES IN JAPAN
Kanemasa, Y., Taniguchi, J., Daibo, I., et al. (2004) · Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal · doi:10.2224/sbp.2004.32.3.265 · Cited by 34
Brand passion: a systematic review and future research agenda
Gilal, F. G., Paul, J., Thomas, A., Zarantonello, L., & Gilal, R. G. (2023) · Journal of Brand Management · doi:10.1057/s41262-023-00324-x · Cited by 33
“These multiple types of love are created by varied admixtures of passion, intimacy, and decision/commitment, and are based on Sternberg's theory of love (Sternberg 1986).”
BackgroundRomantic love evolved by co-opting mother-infant bonding
Bode, A. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1176067 · Cited by 32
“Companionate love, on the other hand, is felt less intensely, often follows a period of romantic love (Hatfield and Walster, 1985), and merges feelings of intimacy and commitment (Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundBrand hate: a systematic literature review and future perspectives
Mushtaq, F. M., Ghazali, E. M., & Hamzah, Z. L. (2024) · Management Review Quarterly · doi:10.1007/s11301-023-00402-z · Cited by 36
Love, Trust, and HIV Risk Among Female Sex Workers and Their Intimate Male Partners
Syvertsen, J. L., Bazzi, A. R., Martı́nez, G., Rangel, G., Ulibarri, M. D., Fergus, K. B., Amaro, H. D. L. A., & Strathdee, S. A. (2015) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2015.302620 · Cited by 33
“** 16 (5) 147 (47) 42 (13) 102 (33) 6 (2)”
Can't Let It Go: Hate in Interpersonal Relationships
Aumer, K., Bahn, A. C. K., Janicki, C., Guzman, N., Pierson, N. W., Strand, S., & Totlund, H. (2016) · Journal of Relationships Research · doi:10.1017/jrr.2016.2 · Cited by 15
Factors Influencing Sustainable Purchasing Behaviour of Remanufactured Robotic Lawn Mowers
Kabel, D., Elg, M., & Sundin, E. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13041954 · Cited by 43
“Triangular theory of love [14], Emotion regulation theory [15] and Appraisal theory of emotion [16] Dong et al.”
BackgroundSohail, M. S. (2022) · Journal of Marketing Analytics · doi:10.1057/s41270-021-00148-1 · Cited by 37
“In the context of interpersonal relationships, the triangular theory of love developed by Sternberg (1986) identifies three components of love – intimacy, passion, and decision/commitment components.”
Felmlee, D., & Sprecher, S. (2007) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30715-2_18 · Cited by 34
Babić-Hodović, V., Mujkić, A., & Arslanagić-Kalajdžić, M. (2022) · Journal of Brand Management · doi:10.1057/s41262-022-00289-3 · Cited by 34
Hosking, W. (2013) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-013-0197-7 · Cited by 38
“Although passion may involve elements that are not purely sexual in nature, such as romance, Sternberg (1986) argued that passion is predominantly underpinned by sexual needs.”
InfluentialAssessments of Trust in Intimate Relationships and the Self-Perception Process
Zak, A., Gold, J. A., Ryckman, R. M., & Lenney, E. (1998) · The Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/00224549809600373 · Cited by 33
The power of love on the human brain
Bianchi‐Demicheli, F., Grafton, S. T., & Ortigue, S. (2006) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470910600976547 · Cited by 35
“…Norris, Chen, Zhu, Small, & Cacioppo, 2004) and the psychology of love (e.g., Brehm et al., 2002; Buss, 2003; Fisher, 2004; Hatfield & Rapson, 1996; Sternberg, 1986; Sternberg & Barnes, 1988; Tennov, 1979) are widely accepted, our present findings reveal that the neuroscience of love might also…”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialSteel, G. (2000) · Environment and Behavior · doi:10.1177/00139160021972801 · Cited by 30
“One of the more elegant models of love to emerge in recent years has been that of Sternberg and his colleagues. Sternberg (1988a) postulates a three-dimensional configuration to the structure of love, an arrangement that he describes as a triangular model.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialPersonality correlates of loving styles among Chinese students in Hong Kong
Wan, W. W. N., Luk, C., & Lai, J. C. L. (2000) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/s0191-8869(99)00185-3 · Cited by 33
Wiseman, H. (1997) · Personal Relationships · doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.1997.tb00146.x · Cited by 33
`Remembrance of Things Past': Perceptions of Marital Love from its Beginnings to the Present
Grote, N. K., & Frieze, I. H. (1998) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407598151006 · Cited by 33
Who Wears the Pants: The Implications of Gender and Power for Youth Heterosexual Relationships
Bay‐Cheng, L. Y., Maguin, E., & Bruns, A. E. (2017) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224499.2016.1276881 · Cited by 36
“…quality, including emotional intimacy, relational stability, and sexual pleasure (for detailed models of the constitution of romantic relationships and corollaries of intimacy, stability, and pleasure, including among adolescents, see Hassebrauck & Fehr, 2002; Levesque, 1993; Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundComponents of Love and Relationship Satisfaction: Lesbians and Heterosexual Women
Cusack, C. E., Hughes, J. L., & Cook, R. E. (2012) · Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research · doi:10.24839/2164-8204.jn17.4.171 · Cited by 26
“In his triangular theory of love (Sternberg, 1977), Sternberg proposed that relationship satisfaction is comprised of 3 components: intimacy, passion, and commitment (Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundInfluentialPerceptions of love and sex across the adult life span
Neto, F. F. M. (2012) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/0265407512443638 · Cited by 32
Metadata
- Authors
- Sternberg, R. J.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sternberg, Robert J.
- ORCID
- Sternberg, Robert J.
- Venue
- Psychological Review
- Published
- 1986-04
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 119-135
- ISSN
- 0033-295X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1471
- 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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