7 Types of love and their resulting relationships

Written By Aditya Shukla, psychologist

Sternberg's theory of love

Types of love 1. Liking (Intimacy) 2. Companionate Love (Intimacy + Commitment) 3. Empty Love (just commitment) 4. Fatuous Love (Passion + Commitment) 5. Infatuation (Passion) 6. Romantic Love (Intimacy + Passion) 7. Consummate Love (Passion + Intimacy + Commitment)

LiKing

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Companionate Love

[{"selector":"#anim-fedee297-7f62-468d-8361-2db1d15d3359","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ee6d572-e93b-44e5-97c6-058f651847f0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-253.33342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75459d01-cd85-4cfc-94f9-11fe68930bc9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-473c5e64-6720-454a-b292-b7790181d02c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ac202e3-76d1-4e79-addf-37ea5b32521e","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56bde846-9f8f-4313-9d4b-e57003b8fb02","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] 2 It includes a combination of intimacy and commitment. It is a close, long-term friendship that typifies a healthy marriage where the passion has faded.

Empty Love

[{"selector":"#anim-2a2aeeaa-aad6-4b33-8571-43d266966578","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d8f513b-34aa-427a-ab0c-b10d92c7be2f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-253.33342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd5be2de-be23-41a9-9309-2d38f52e8bc6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf1899fb-01a0-473a-a2d9-81b65f6e6a20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c663caab-cfda-4117-a552-d0b2bfb7f311","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d8b344d-db3a-4cb1-a869-1c67441e3881","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] 3 This includes only commitment, and as it says, it is empty, with no intimacy or passion.

Fatuous Love

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Infatuation

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Romantic Love

[{"selector":"#anim-29284039-2099-4a74-a75f-6ed853a71d85","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22aeea71-6e15-4eab-944f-dadbe512b688","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-253.33342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-297ec6ad-4d7f-493b-8922-19c6e8e506db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3191a51-e2d3-46c7-8cbb-150a915ee301","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bba58f7c-2452-403b-b0a8-1c429ef57032","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ab4dddf-ce28-4325-b283-627cf1544299","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] 6 Here, individuals are physically and emotionally attracted to each other but haven’t committed to the relationship.

Consummate love

[{"selector":"#anim-672ea358-abe3-42c8-ac69-9e85e8ea0ac2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0a5cf72-b11d-4943-b228-0ce6f1cd0b69","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-253.33342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bde47363-79d8-4456-b160-f5f39aa62147","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e6232e8-b7ed-4e06-8d48-d1861ab1295f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1921.05277%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d1be921-f44e-4bde-bd76-c4683dfa6114","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12ec2c5c-39f4-4321-af8d-23b0d039bcee","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] 7 A combination of all three elements. It is the ideal perfect love that is difficult to attain and maintain.

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7 Types of love and their resulting relationships

7 Types of love and their resulting relationships

Sternberg's theory of love

Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment are the 3 components of love. All combinations lead to a type of love.

Types of love 1. Liking (Intimacy) 2. Companionate Love (Intimacy + Commitment) 3. Empty Love (just commitment) 4. Fatuous Love (Passion + Commitment) 5. Infatuation (Passion) 6. Romantic Love (Intimacy + Passion) 7. Consummate Love (Passion + Intimacy + Commitment)

LiKing

Friends, FwB, casual dating

Companionate Love

FwB, relationship, mature love

Empty Love

Marriage without love, FwB

Fatuous Love

Loveless marriage, marriage of convenience, dying relationship, asexual relationship

Infatuation

Situationship, One-sided love, Pre-dating phase, One night stands

Romantic Love

Exclusive relationship, Polyamory, Open relationship, Situationship

Consummate love

Marriage, Long-term relationship

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