What are the components at the root of Sternberg's Love Triangle?

Sternberg's Love Triangle is a psychological framework that describes different types of love based on three fundamental components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. These components each play a distinct role in the formation and maintenance of romantic relationships.

Intimacy refers to the emotional closeness and connectedness partners feel toward each other. It involves feelings of warmth, bonding, and sharing personal experiences, which contribute to a sense of security and support in the relationship.

Passion involves the physical attraction and romantic desire that partners experience. It encompasses the feelings of excitement and longing for one another and is often characterized by physical intimacy, such as hugging, kissing, and sexual activity.

Commitment refers to the decision to maintain a long-term relationship and the intention to remain together despite challenges. It involves both a cognitive aspect (the belief or intention to love) and an emotional aspect (the desire to remain bonded).

When these three components—intimacy, passion, and commitment—are combined in varying degrees, they create different types of love experiences, such as infatuation (high passion but low intimacy and commitment), romantic love (high intimacy and passion but low commitment), and consummate love, which includes all three components and is often considered the ideal form of love.