Psychology of Love
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Triangular Love Theory and The Effects on Our Brain Merry Alijoski College of New Rochelle
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Psychology 101, taught by Professor Hertler.
Abstract
This paper presents the classification of love in Robert Sternberg’s triangular love theory and how the brain falls in love within the three components of love. The research findings hold significance to people who are or have been in love and have interest in classifying their love and understanding how they love. In this paper, research is cited to attempt and solve the biological mystery behind love and how love can be broken down into components. The brain plays a major role in loving other people and the components help define our relationships with the opposite sex. To gather information and results on this topic, I analyzed several books and articles on the psychology, evolution, and brain reactions of love. As a result of completing the above procedure, studies show how dopamine creates happy feelings. Sternberg’s triangular love theory provides components that have scores which increase and decrease over time. The larger implication of my findings reveals how love is complex and so is the biological process of it. Keywords: love, brain, components
Introduction
What is love? The definition is infinite. In history, scholars have primarily studied the nature of love. For instance, in 1886, the German pioneering sexologist and physician Richard von Krafft-Ebing classified five types of love. These types were known as true love, sentimental love, platonic love, friendship, and sensual love. Albert Ellis (1954) suggested further love varieties: “Love itself . . . includes many different types and degrees of affection, such as conjugal love, parental love, familial love, religious love, love of humanity, love of animals,
Triangular Love Theory and The Effects on Our Brain Merry Alijoski College of New Rochelle
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Psychology 101, taught by Professor Hertler.
Abstract
This paper presents the classification of love in Robert Sternberg’s triangular love theory and how the brain falls in love within the three components of love. The research findings hold significance to people who are or have been in love and have interest in classifying their love and understanding how they love. In this paper, research is cited to attempt and solve the biological mystery behind love and how love can be broken down into components. The brain plays a major role in loving other people and the components help define our relationships with the opposite sex. To gather information and results on this topic, I analyzed several books and articles on the psychology, evolution, and brain reactions of love. As a result of completing the above procedure, studies show how dopamine creates happy feelings. Sternberg’s triangular love theory provides components that have scores which increase and decrease over time. The larger implication of my findings reveals how love is complex and so is the biological process of it. Keywords: love, brain, components
Introduction
What is love? The definition is infinite. In history, scholars have primarily studied the nature of love. For instance, in 1886, the German pioneering sexologist and physician Richard von Krafft-Ebing classified five types of love. These types were known as true love, sentimental love, platonic love, friendship, and sensual love. Albert Ellis (1954) suggested further love varieties: “Love itself . . . includes many different types and degrees of affection, such as conjugal love, parental love, familial love, religious love, love of humanity, love of animals,