What are the three components of Sternberg's theory?

Intimacy (the emotional component, the feeling of being close to and bonded with the other person), commitment (the decision to love in the short term, then to continue the relationship in the long term) and passion (physical attraction and physiological arousal, the motivational component of love).

How many forms of love does the triangular theory describe?

Seven forms, depending on the presence or absence of each of the three components: infatuation love, companionable love, empty love, romantic love, mad love, friendly love and fulfilled love.

What is fulfilled love according to Sternberg?

It is the ideal love: it brings together the three components of the triangular theory of love — passion, commitment and intimacy.

There is commitment, but no intimacy and no passion — a kind of contract entered into, or a tacit agreement, found among many couples who grow old together in this way.

Hearts & Bodies

The Triangular Theory of Love: The Theory You Need to Know

Published on March 19, 2026

The triangular theory of love — what is it exactly? Well, it's a theory developed as early as 1986 by Robert Sternberg, a psychologist and professor at Yale University, which still enjoys favor among researchers today.

In his theory of love, Professor Sternberg proposes a concept of triangulation based on three characteristics: intimacy, passion and commitment. According to Sternberg, intimacy, commitment and passion are found in all romantic relationships, to varying degrees. The intensity of these components and how they interact with one another determine the type of love that develops and settles within a couple.

Components of the Triangular Theory of Love

Intimacy

It corresponds to the emotional component of a relationship: we feel close to, and bonded with, the other person. Interdependence is then strong.

Commitment

It includes a short-term component (this is the case when we decide to love a person) and a long-term component (when we decide to continue a romantic relationship).

Passion

It's driven by physical attraction and physiological arousal — the motivational component of love.

The Seven Forms of Love According to Robert Sternberg

	Passion	Intimacy	Commitment
Infatuation Love	X
Companionable Love		X
Empty Love			X
Romantic Love	X	X
Mad Love	X		X
Friendly Love		X	X
Fulfilled Love	X	X	X

The 7 Forms of Love from the Triangular Theory of Love, Explained

The table of the 7 forms of love shows how the interaction of the components of the triangular theory of love ultimately produces quite different feelings.

Infatuation Love

There is passion, but neither commitment nor intimacy. It's more a matter of physical attraction and desire than love in the strict sense. As soon as the desire is satisfied, the emotion it stirred fades away.

Companionable Love

This feeling is based on intimacy alone. It doesn't lead to commitment, and it leaves no room for physical attraction.

Empty Love

There is commitment, but no intimacy and no passion. It's a kind of contract entered into, or a tacit agreement. This happens to many couples who grow old together in this way.

Romantic Love

This feeling is found among younger people. They experience intimacy and passion but are neither inclined nor ready to commit to one another.

Mad Love

Commitment and passion, but no intimacy. It often springs from love at first sight. The lovers barely know each other but love each other intensely. They vow to cherish one another until the end of time. Romeo and Juliet are a fine illustration of this.

Friendly Love

There is commitment and intimacy but no passion. This occurs within a deep friendship, or among some couples who lose their sexual appetite with age. For them, this feeling resembles tenderness.

Fulfilled Love

This is the ideal love. It brings together the three components of Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love: passion, commitment and intimacy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the triangular theory of love?: Developed as early as 1986 by Robert Sternberg, a psychologist and professor at Yale University, it proposes a concept of triangulation based on three characteristics: intimacy, passion and commitment, whose intensity and interactions determine the type of love that settles within a couple.
What are the three components of Sternberg's theory?: Intimacy (the emotional component, the feeling of being close to and bonded with the other person), commitment (the decision to love in the short term, then to continue the relationship in the long term) and passion (physical attraction and physiological arousal, the motivational component of love).
How many forms of love does the triangular theory describe?: Seven forms, depending on the presence or absence of each of the three components: infatuation love, companionable love, empty love, romantic love, mad love, friendly love and fulfilled love.
What is fulfilled love according to Sternberg?: It is the ideal love: it brings together the three components of the triangular theory of love — passion, commitment and intimacy.
What is empty love?: There is commitment, but no intimacy and no passion — a kind of contract entered into, or a tacit agreement, found among many couples who grow old together in this way.