presented a theory that has piqued the interest of various people

A theory concretising something that has baffled the minds

and wrenched the hearts of many - Love

He called it the "Triangular Theory of Love"

As it's best explained in the form of a triangle

but it's more commonly known as "Sternberg's Theory of Love"

In the context of interpersonal relationships

there are three components of love

intimacy, passion and commitment

According to the theory, intimacy

is the feeling of attachment

closeness, and connectedness

Passion, on the other hand, is

the fiery depth and intenseness you experience when you like someone

encompassing the drive connected to

both romantic and sexual attraction

The third component, commitment, ties the other two together

as it encompasses short-term and

long-term decisions to remain with one another and plan for the future

According to Sternberg's Theory of Love

there are six forms of love which are

combinations of the three components previously described

One, Nonlove

Nonlove is merely the absence

of all three components

This basically characterises the majority of our personal relationships which consists of simple

casual interactions

It could apply to your acquaintances, or to people who you're not particularly attached to

Two, Friendship

Friendship exists when only intimacy is present

This is the set of feelings you experience

without the intense passion or commitment of romance

It can however be a root for other forms of love to manifest from

00:01:42,495 --> 00:01:44,755 Three, Infatuated Love

Infatuation occurs when passion is present

and both intimacy and commitment is absent

Crushes fall under this category

Solely sexual relationships are also included

as they are only bounded by carnal desires and nothing more

This is the most common root of romantic love as it's believed that

intimacy develops over time

But if neither intimacy nor commitment develops, this type of love

can fizzle over time

Four, Empty Love

An example of empty love is an unhappy marriage

where intimacy and the flames of passion for your partner is gone

As a strong love deteriorates into empty love

nothing is left but the contract of marriage itself

It's characterised by the absence of intimacy and passion

despite the presence of commitment

Arranged marriages, on the other hand, can start out as empty loves

but can develop into other forms of love over time

Five, Romantic Love

Romantic love is a combination of intimacy and passion

Relationships under this category

not only involve physical bonds, but emotional bonds as well

This is one of the most common stepping stones to married life

However, it lacks commitment

This type of relationship is easier to dissolve, with

no legal issues, if you and your partner have had enough of it

Six, Companionate Love

Companionate Love is characterised by a combination of

intimacy and commitment, and the absence of passion

It's stronger than Friendship Love because of the addition of commitment

It's observed in long-term marriages where

you don't necessarily need passion in order to stay in love with your partner

because affection still remains

Companionate Love can also be found among family members and close

friends who have strong platonic friendships

Seven, Fatuous Love

A good example of a Fatuous Love is when Kim Kardashian

married Kris Humphries, only to divorce him 72 days later

It's a whirlwind of romance we usually see on television

Fatuous Love is the combination of commitment and passion

without intimacy

Eight, Consummate Love

Consummate Love sits at the very centre of the triangle

as it's said to be the perfect ideal type of love

All three components are present in this type of love

and it's the goal for people in relationships

According to Sternberg, couples experiencing

Consummate Love would continue to be sexually intimate years into the relationship

and they can't imagine themselves being happier with other partners

They work through their difficulties and

find a light in their relationships

However, Sternberg cautions that maintaining this relationship is harder than

achieving it and it's not a permanent form of love

With that, do you agree with the types of love that

Sternberg proposes?

What other factors do you think affect a relationship?

Do you think the six forms of love are global?

Or is there a subjective perspective for every couple?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below

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