Robert Sternberg created his triangular theory of love based on three dimensions: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The degree to which a relationship demonstrates these three dimensions determines the type of love relationship. People begin love relationships with those who care for them as children. These early relationships can have a great impact on their adult relationships.

The triangular theory of love, theorized by the innovating Robert Sternberg (Axia 2009), declared that there are three dimensions of the love triangle, which are passion, intimacy and commitment. Passion is the motivational component of love that reflects attraction, romance, and sexual desire. Intimacy involves feelings of closeness, trust, and the sharing of one’s innermost thoughts. Commitment is the decision to maintain a long-term caring relationship, Axia 2009.

According to our text, Sternberg’s description of the development of consummate love parallels the unfolding of secure attachment. The passion associated with physical closeness grows very quickly and initially dominates a relationship. Over time, it declines. Proximity and passion prompt reciprocal sharing and caring, and a healthy love relationship shows a slow but steady increase in intimacy. Commitment involves both a short-term decision to love someone and a longer-term decision to maintain the love. In enduring relationships, the increase in commitment is gradual at first, accelerates, and then remains at a high level.

How Are They Connect, or Interrelate…

The levels of the different types of love relationships are, separated into sub-categories. These sub-categories are liking, infatuated love, romantic love, empty love, companionate love, fatuous love, and consummate love. According to our text, for a relationship to be within the category of liking, the partners would have low levels of passion within their relation, high levels of intimacy, followed by low levels of commitment within their relationship. The category that has high levels of passion, low levels of intimacy, along with low levels of commitment, is the category of infatuated love. Romantic love has high levels of passion, high levels of intimacy, with low levels of commitment. Empty love has low levels of passion, low levels of intimacy, yet higher levels of commitment. Companionate love has low levels of passion however, with higher levels of intimacy and commitment. Fatuous love has low levels of intimacy, with higher levels of passion and commitment. Consummate love has high levels of all: passion, commitment and intimacy.

References

Axia College University of Phoenix, week two reading materials, retrieved June 21, 2009.