LOVE

What is Love?

 Robert Sternberg’s Three Ingredients

– 1. Intimacy
 -Sharing, communication, mutual support,
trust
– 2. Passion
 Not just physical, also emotional
– 3. Commitment
 Long-term focus
Sternberg’s Ingredients
 All Three are needed!
– Only intimacy, you have friendship
– Only passion, you have
infatuation/lust
– Only commitment, you have empty
love
 But how can we account for the
different types of love people
experience?
DIFFERENT TYPES
OF LOVE
 How do I know if this is
really love?
 Romantic love includes physiological arousal and a
cognitive interpretation of that arousal as being
caused by the other person.

 The physiological response is like a natural high

(heavy breathing, pounding heart, dry mouth,
sweaty palms).

 Our thinking (cognitive) brain then tries to figure

out why we feel this way. Is it because I’m in love?
 ROMANTIC LOVE
Also known as “puppy
love”, it is an
exaggerated form of
love.
 SEXUAL LOVE

The intimate expression of love. This type of love

is best saved for a committed married couple
 PRAGMATIC LOVE

A rational reasoning kind of love.

Arranged marriage
 PLATONIC LOVE

 spiritual and intellectual relationship

between a man and a woman. Non sexual
 COMPANIONSHIP LOVE.

Typically found in good friendships

 ALTRUISTIC LOVE
Selfless love, or concern for the
spouse.
 MANIC LOVE
a crazy, possessive,
jealous kind of love.
 Unconditional love
 Showing love towards someone regardless
of his or her actions or beliefs
 SELF-LOVE
a egotistic, narcissistic kind
of love.

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