The Three Dimensions of Love and How They Affect Attachment Page 1
The Three Dimensions of Love and How They Affect Attachment
Aryne F. Levine
February 15, 2008
Axia College of the University of Phoenix
The Three Dimensions of Love and How They Affect Attachment Page 2
According to Sternberg’s Theory of Love, a relationship can exhibit all or none of the
dimensions of love. Whether or not a relationship exhibits these different dimensions determines
the type of love relationship that individuals share. It is important to remember that love does not
only involve the dimensions of passion and intimacy, and that love can mean the love that one
friend has for another. The way that these dimensions manifest and the attachments that form
because of them can affect an individual’s earliest relationships and those later in life as well.
The first dimension of love is passion. Passion is defined as “a powerful emotion, such as
love, joy, hatred, or anger” in the Free Dictionary by Farlex. When passion is associated with
love it normally involves intense physical attraction. This attraction is usually accompanied by
lust. Passion can be found in four different types of love relationship: infatuation (which involves
only the dimension of passion), romantic love (which involves both passion and intimacy),
fatuous love (which involves both passion and commitment), and consummate love (which
involves passion, intimacy and commitment).
The second dimension of love that can be found in a relationship following Sternberg’s
Triangular Theory of Love is commitment. Commitment is defined as “the state of being bound
emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons” in the Free
Dictionary by Farlex. Commitment is a factor that when involved in a love relationship
sometimes is not a good thing. Commitment can be found in four...