Triangle theory suggests that people’s intimacy, passion, and commitment have varying degrees at any given time. In 2021, another study was carried out and gave empirical evidence of the universality of the Love Triangle Theory.

The following article will discuss the three components of love according to Sternberg’s theory along with the seven different types of love and their components.

3 elements of love in sternberg triangle theory

According to the theory of Sternberg – an American psychologist and professor in the Department of Human Development at Cornell University, the concept of love is described as a triangular pattern with three angles as its constituent components. Some forms of love will focus on the emotional element between two individuals or the physical element. However, these forms of love can also be applied in other personal relationships.

The three elements include:

• Intimacy : includes a feeling of closeness and connection.

• Passion : includes feelings and desires for affection, romance and the need to satisfy physiological needs.

• Commitment : includes the feelings that make us determined to be with that person, together towards common goals.

A balance between physiological needs and emotional needs is essential, and the absence of these elements in a relationship does not count as love (non-love).

The three components of love systematically interact with each other. The presence of one element or two or more constitutes the seven forms of love.

These types of love can change even within a relationship. For example, a love story can start with a passionate relationship, develop into a romantic relationship, and end with affection and intimacy. 

1. Friendship 

Ingredients: Liking

This form occurs when individuals have closeness and affection for each other, but not yet as passionate or committed as a romantic relationship. Friendship can be the foundation for developing different emotional relationships.

2. Infatuation 

Ingredient: Passion

Characteristic of this type of affection is the typical feeling of desire such as physical passion without the need for affection or commitment. This relationship does not have enough time to develop more intimate feelings, romantic elements or progress to complete love. Intimacy or romance may emerge when this phase is over. Usually, the feeling of infatuation will be very intense from the very beginning.

3. Empty Love

Ingredients: Commitment

This type of love is characterized by a lack of passion and closeness. Sometimes intense love can turn into empty love. Conversely, empty love can also flower, growing into intense love. We can see this phenomenon in arranged marriages. In the beginning, the relationship started off as cold but gradually developed into a different, more passionate form of affection.

4. Romantic Love

Ingredients: Intimacy and Passion

Romantic love binds human emotions through intimate gestures along with pure lust. Individuals in this relationship can understand each other in great detail. They build relationships with erotic and sexual passions about each other. It is possible that at the time this form of affection takes place, the couples are still not in a long-term relationship or have not determined their future plans together. 

5. Companionate Love

Ingredients: Love and Intimacy

Characteristic of this type includes closeness, but lacks the passion of love. This pattern includes the closeness or liking of the other person and also the commitment inherent in the above triangle pattern. This form is superior to friendship because it is a long-term commitment with no or very little sexual feelings for each other.

This type is often seen in loveless marriages, where they live together just because of the two words “intimacy”. This type of love can also be found in close friendships and family members.

6. Fatuous Love

Ingredients: Commitment and Passion

Foolish love is made of commitment and passion, without intimacy and affection. A good example of this type of love is the love affair built quickly from the flirtation that the insiders do not realize it is just a temporary emotion. They are driven by passion to quickly establish a relationship without having time to build close feelings for each other.

Usually, outsiders will find it difficult to understand why these couples are in such a hurry. Unfortunately, the marriages that start from this relationship are often not sustainable. If they are happy, people will think that happiness is due to their “lucky”.

7. Consummate Love

Ingredients: Intimacy, Passion and Commitment 

All three elements contribute to the creation of perfect love. This is the ideal type of love. These couples often experience physical compatibility for a long time and they can’t imagine themselves being with anyone else. They always think happiness will not come to them if that person does not appear. These couples always find a way to overcome obstacles and pressure together.

According to Sternberg, perfect love is more difficult to maintain than to achieve because every element of this phenotype requires constant movement. If behavior and feelings don’t exist, passion doesn’t exist and full love can revert back to the intimate form.

According to Sternberg, the importance of the components of love can vary from person to person and from couple to couple. All three are necessary for romantic relationships, but their number will have to vary from relationship to relationship or from time to time they develop.

Understanding the interplay of elements can help us see where there is room for improvement in a relationship. For example, a couple realizes that their passion for each other is no longer the same, they will find a way to rekindle the flame of love for each other before it is too late.