What does the love triangle represent in Sternberg's theory?

What does the love triangle represent in Sternberg's theory?

• A. A literal three-person arrangement
• B. The sequence of dating stages
• C. The relative amounts of passion, intimacy, and commitment in a relationship
• D. The order in which love develops over time

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is that love, in Sternberg's theory, is built from three components: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The love triangle is a visual metaphor for how much of each component a relationship has. The relative levels of these three elements determine the type of love you experience, rather than depicting a literal three-person setup or a fixed dating sequence. For example, high passion with low intimacy and commitment points to infatuation, while high levels across all three—passion, intimacy, and commitment—describe consummate love.

The idea being tested is that love, in Sternberg's theory, is built from three components: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The love triangle is a visual metaphor for how much of each component a relationship has. The relative levels of these three elements determine the type of love you experience, rather than depicting a literal three-person setup or a fixed dating sequence. For example, high passion with low intimacy and commitment points to infatuation, while high levels across all three—passion, intimacy, and commitment—describe consummate love.