What does Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love propose?

What does Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love propose?

• A. That love is determined solely by physical attraction.
• B. There are only two components to love: passion and commitment.
• C. Love is a binary state: you either love or you do not.
• D. It posits that passion, intimacy, and commitment exist to varying degrees in relationships.

Answer: (D)

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love says that love is built from three components—passion, intimacy, and commitment—that can be strong or weak in different relationships. Passion covers desire and physical attraction, intimacy involves closeness and sharing, and commitment is the decision to stay and work through challenges. These elements mix in varying degrees, so relationships aren’t simply present or absent; they exist somewhere in a three-dimensional space of how much each component is expressed. That’s why we can have romantic love (high passion and intimacy), compassionate love (high intimacy and commitment), or consummate love (high levels of all three), among other blends. The statement that best captures this idea is that passion, intimacy, and commitment exist to varying degrees in relationships. The other options try to reduce love to just physical attraction, to only two components, or to a binary state, which doesn’t fit how the theory describes love.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love says that love is built from three components—passion, intimacy, and commitment—that can be strong or weak in different relationships. Passion covers desire and physical attraction, intimacy involves closeness and sharing, and commitment is the decision to stay and work through challenges. These elements mix in varying degrees, so relationships aren’t simply present or absent; they exist somewhere in a three-dimensional space of how much each component is expressed. That’s why we can have romantic love (high passion and intimacy), compassionate love (high intimacy and commitment), or consummate love (high levels of all three), among other blends. The statement that best captures this idea is that passion, intimacy, and commitment exist to varying degrees in relationships. The other options try to reduce love to just physical attraction, to only two components, or to a binary state, which doesn’t fit how the theory describes love.