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    Triangular theory of love

    爱情三角理论

    Theory
    Also called
    Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, Triangular Love Scale

    What is the triangular theory of love?

    The triangular theory of love, proposed by Robert Sternberg in 1986, holds that love has three components, intimacy, passion and decision/commitment, pictured as the corners of a triangle.[1][2] Their strength sets how much love there is; their balance sets what kind it is.[1][2]

    Intimacy Passion Commitment
    Consummate love All three

    Intimacy, passion and commitment together; Sternberg also calls it complete love.

    Eight combinations

    • Nonlove None of the three
    • Liking Intimacy only
    • Infatuated love Passion only
    • Empty love Commitment only
    • Romantic love Intimacy + passion
    • Companionate love Intimacy + commitment
    • Fatuous love Passion + commitment
    • Consummate love All three

    Select a corner to switch that component on or off. Schematic, not an assessment tool. Sternberg calls the eight kinds limiting cases that few relationships match exactly. He also uses a triangle’s area for the amount of love and its shape for the balance of the components; this figure does not draw either to scale.

    Schematic. The triangle’s corners are intimacy, passion and commitment. Switch corners on or off to see what each of the eight combinations is called. Corner positions carry no meaning, and nothing is drawn to scale. Use the buttons in the figure to compare
    Schematic. The triangle’s corners are intimacy, passion and commitment. Switch corners on or off to see what each of the eight combinations is called. Corner positions carry no meaning, and nothing is drawn to scale. Save as image (PNG)

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    Key points

    • Intimacy is the warm sense of closeness and connection; passion, the drives toward romance, attraction and sex; commitment, the decision to love someone and, longer term, to keep that love.[2]
    • The components combine into eight kinds of love, from nonlove (none) to consummate love (all three). Sternberg stresses these are limiting cases that few relationships match exactly.[2]
    • It is usually measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale, 15 items per component rated 1–9. Of 232 studies reviewed, 64% used modified versions, mostly shortened.[4]
    • Among 7,332 partnered adults in 25 countries, the three-factor structure held across countries. Longer relationships showed less passion and more commitment, but the gaps were small and cross-sectional.[3]

    An example

    Lin and Jay have been married ten years. They still talk about everything and both mean to stay together, though the racing heart of their early dating is rare now. In the theory’s terms this is close to companionate love, intimacy plus commitment; Sternberg notes that real relationships seldom fit one type exactly.

    Misreadings and limits

    The three components are less distinct than the theory implies. In the 25-country data they correlated at 0.75–0.81, which the researchers read as support for doubts about telling them apart;[4] earlier studies also found many scale items loading on more than one factor.[3]

    Sources

    1. 1 Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A triangular theory of love. Psychological Review, 93(2), 119–135. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.93.2.119
    2. 2 Sternberg, R. J. (n.d.). Duplex theory of love: Triangular theory of love and theory of love as a story. Robert J. Sternberg’s website. View source
    3. 3 Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Karwowski, M., Groyecka, A., Aavik, T., et al. (2021). Universality of the triangular theory of love: Adaptation and psychometric properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 countries. The Journal of Sex Research, 58(1), 106–115. doi:10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318
    4. 4 Kowal, M., Sorokowski, P., Dinić, B. M., Pisanski, K., Gjoneska, B., et al. (2024). Validation of the short version (TLS-15) of the Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45) across 37 languages. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53(2), 839–857. doi:10.1007/s10508-023-02702-7

    Last checked against sources: October 28, 2026