An interesting theory proposed by psychologist Robert Sternberg just might explain why some relationships work while some don’t. It’s called the triangular theory of love, and it states that love encompasses three different components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. Sure, we throw these words around when talking about relationships, but Sternberg uses them in a more scientific sense in order to measure the existence and levels of each aspect. Intimacy is how close and connected you feel towards your S.O., while passion includes all the fun stuff we love – the chemistry, the sex, and … oh, did we mention the sex? Commitment involves the desire to remain with and to share plans and aspirations with another. These three elements don’t always come hand-in-hand; in fact, more often than not, relationships may lack one or two of these aspects. Looking around at all the examples among celebrities and in pop culture, so many couples exemplify the different “forms of love” that result from various combinations of the big three. We speculate about which well-known couples would fit into each category.
