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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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“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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“Initially, Sternberg (1986) garnered support for his theory using the Triadic Love Scale (TLS).”
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“bonds (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Leary et al., 2013; Sternberg, 1986) and collective bonds (Caporael & Brewer, 1995; Haidt et al.”
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“Although many of scholars including, Dion and Dion, 1985; Lee, 1973; Sternberg, 1986; Tennov, 1979, quoted in Hazan and Shaver, 1987, try to assess different figures of love, but the attachment theory can describe how different attachment styles are developed, especially the obsessive love style…”
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“La définition de l’intimité dans les relations amoureuses de Sternberg (1986) réunit sept éléments : la communication intime, l’entente mutuelle, la joie et le bonheur de vivre ensemble, la haute estime pour le partenaire, le soutien indéfectible de l’autre, le pouvoir de donner et de recevoir du…”
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“Participants in this study filled out the earlier version of the scale because the targets they were vievi/ing completed the original (Sternberg, 1986) version.”
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“Passion can be viewed as the motivational involvement in the relationships and can be generated by any form of psychophysiological arousal (Sternberg, 1986, 1988).”
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“Robert Sternberg (1986) proposed a three-component triangular theory of love, psychiatrist and sex researcher Fritz Klein proposed a seven-factor model of sexual orientation that includes “ emotional preference ” and “ social preference ” alongside sexual attraction (Klein, Sepekoff, and Wolf,…”
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“Finally, Sternberg [23] concluded with the “cold” characteristic, such as commitment, which stands for a desire to love over a long term.”
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Tomalski, P. (2007) · Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego eBooks · doi:10.31338/uw.9788323510505 · Cited by 18
Liu, T., Fuller, J. D., Hutton, A. E., & Grant, J. M. (2018) · Journal of Adolescent Research · doi:10.1177/0743558418775364 · Cited by 21
“However, in Sternberg’s triangular theory of love (Sternberg, 1986), adolescent romantic relationship is one type of love, even typically manifests relatively high intimacy and passion with low levels of commitment (Sternberg, 1986; Williams & Hickle, 2010).”
BackgroundDevelopment of a Dualistic Model of Sexual Passion: Investigating Determinants and Consequences
Philippe, F. L., Vallerand, R. J., Beaulieu‐Pelletier, G., Maliha, G., Laventure, S., & Ricard-St-Aubin, J.-S. (2019) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01524-w · Cited by 17
“Sexual passion in the scientific literature has typically been defined as sexual desire for union with a partner or as a mixture of romance and physical attraction (e.g., Hatfield & Walster, 1978; Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundHan, H., Koo, B., & Hyun, S. S. (2020) · Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing · doi:10.1080/10548408.2020.1757564 · Cited by 18
“Hwang & Park, 2018; Morgan & Hunt, 1994) and brand/product love (Batra et al., 2012; Carroll & Ahuvia, 2006; J. Hwang & Lyu, 2018; Sternberg, 1986) in the formation of repeat patronage intention.”
The Moral Duty to Love One’s Stakeholders
Kaptein, M. (2021) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-021-04897-y · Cited by 18
“…this neighborly love is agape, where love is an affection that is unconditionally directed to the other person, thus making it different from sexual love, brotherly love, familial love, self-love, or love for things and ideals (Hanley, 2017; Lee, 1977; Lewis, 1960; Nygren, 1930; Sternberg, 1986).”
BackgroundEarly Stage Romantic Love is Associated with Reduced Daily Cortisol Production
Weisman, O., Schneiderman, I., Zagoory‐Sharon, O., & Feldman, R. (2014) · Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology · doi:10.1007/s40750-014-0007-z · Cited by 17
“Couples were not screened or included in the study on the basis of their passionate love levels, and their average score on the “passion” sub-scale of Sternberg’s Triangualr Love Scale was 107 which reflects “somewhat above average” level (Sternberg 1997).”
InfluentialGemeinschaftin the midst ofGesellschaft? Love as an organizational virtue
Cunha, M. P. E., Clegg, S. R., da Costa, C. M. M., Leite, A. P., Rego, A., Simpson, A. V., de Sousa, M. O., & Sousa, M. (2016) · Journal of Management Spirituality & Religion · doi:10.1080/14766086.2016.1184100 · Cited by 18
Consumer’s love for functional brands: the Aspirin case
Borges, A. P., Cardoso, C., & Rodrigues, P. C. L. (2016) · International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing · doi:10.1108/ijphm-07-2016-0035 · Cited by 24
Irrational Beliefs in Romantic Relationships as the Predictor of Aggression in Emerging Adulthood
Gündoğdu, R., Yavuzer, Y., & Karataş, Z. (2018) · Journal of Education and Training Studies · doi:10.11114/jets.v6i3.2884 · Cited by 18
“According to Sternberg (1986, 1997), romantic relationships are relationships between couples that are established by free choices and has elements of desire, commitment and closeness in them.”
BackgroundDivorce and Postdivorce Relationships
Coleman, M. J., H.Ganong, L., & Leon, K. (2006) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511606632.010 · Cited by 18
Black Men and the Decision to Marry
Hurt, T. R. (2014) · Marriage & Family Review · doi:10.1080/01494929.2014.905816 · Cited by 18
Defining and Describing Situationships: An Exploratory Investigation
Langlais, M. R., Podberesky, A., Toohey, L., & Lee, C. T. (2024) · Sexuality & Culture · doi:10.1007/s12119-024-10210-6 · Cited by 27
“According to Sternberg ( 1986 ), romantic relationships can experience love depend - ing on the presence of intimacy, passion, and commitment.”
Rodrigue, C., Blais, M., Lavoie, F., Adam, B. D., Goyer, M.-F., & Magontier, C. (2017) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224499.2017.1399195 · Cited by 17
“Mean scores across CSR partner types were fairly consistent with the “romantic” and “infatuated” types of love described by Sternberg (1986), with an emphasis on passion and, to a lesser extent, intimacy.”
BackgroundInfluentialSoares, L. S., Alves, A. L. C., Costa, D. D. S., Malloy-Diniz, L. F., Paula, J. J. D., Romano-Silva, M. A., & Miranda, D. M. D. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.593150 · Cited by 17
“Wherefore, passionate love, defined as a state of intense longing for union (46), a strong positive feeling toward the other one (47), seems to be an essential element.”
BackgroundThe Ability to Love – a Virtue-Based Approach
Määttä, K., & Uusiautti, S. (2013) · SensePublishers eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-6209-206-8_8 · Cited by 17
“Among the numerous ideas and categorizations of love, one of the most famous theories is Robert Sternberg’s (1986) triangulation theory.”
BackgroundThe Successful Combination of Work and Family in Finland: The Ability to Compromise as a Key Factor
Uusiautti, S., & Määttä, K. (2012) · Journal of Comparative Family Studies · doi:10.3138/jcfs.43.2.151 · Cited by 17
Creativity and romantic passion.
Carswell, K. L., Finkel, E. J., & Kumashiro, M. (2019) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/pspi0000162 · Cited by 18
Gawda, B. (2019) · Journal of Psycholinguistic Research · doi:10.1007/s10936-019-09661-y · Cited by 17
“Although positive valence dominates in this group of feelings, negative elements which may appear include anxiety, fear, dissatisfaction, jealousy, hatred, shame or guilt (Sternberg 1986).”
Background
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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