{"id":1053,"date":"2025-02-09T13:56:13","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T13:56:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/more.efpsa.org\/rpblog\/?p=1053"},"modified":"2025-11-11T10:47:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T10:47:42","slug":"theories-of-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/more.efpsa.org\/rpblog\/2025\/02\/09\/theories-of-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Theories of love"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Dear RP friends, <\/span><\/p>


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We continue our blog articles on the Psychology of Close Relationships as an official Research Programme Theme for 2025\/2026. <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cRelationships with others are central to the human experience: we are born into them, live through them, and their impact continues even after we die, influencing the lives of those who remain.\u201d<\/span> (Berscheid, 1999, as cited in Finkel et al., 2017).<\/span><\/p>\n


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In this review, we delve deeper into the main theories of relationship science, focusing on romantic relationships as a topic of interest. In our theme announcement of Research Programme 2025\/2026 (<\/span>Hugs and Hypotheses: Psychology of Close Relationships<\/span><\/a>), we mentioned that the three most influential theoretical frameworks are Interdependence Theory, Attachment Theory, and Sternberg\u2019s Triangular Model of Love (Finkel et al., 2017). These theories of love provide valuable insights into the complexities of human relationships, exploring how individuals form, maintain, and evolve emotionally close bonds. <\/span><\/p>\n


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Firstly, we will introduce the Interdependence theory. It originated as a game-theoretic model of interactions that seeks to explain close relationships between two people. It was first applied to close relationships in the 1970s, becoming a leading theory by the 1980s. <\/span><\/p>\n

It posits that relationship processes and outcomes vary according to various dimensions present in social contexts. For instance, if a man is more dependent on his girlfriend for positive experiences, he will likely pay closer attention to her behaviour for signs of love and commitment. This high dependence places him in a low-power position unless she is equally dependent on him. Generally, <\/span>high mutual dependence<\/span> encourages cooperation when partners have<\/span> shared interests <\/span>but can lead to conflict when their interests diverge. Interdependence theory suggests that relationship satisfaction increases when <\/span>outcomes (rewards minus costs)<\/span> surpass one\u2019s comparison level. It emphasizes the significance of the <\/span>comparison level for alternatives<\/span>, which refers to the potential outcomes outside the current relationship. Individuals who perceive their alternatives as more appealing are more likely to experience relationship dissatisfaction and consider leaving. Partners often respond to these perceived alternatives by downplaying or derogating them to protect their current relationship. This cognitive dissonance occurs when individuals feel committed to a partner and view non-chosen alternatives as less desirable. However, relationship structures like polyamory challenge this notion, as individuals may maintain multiple loving relationships without viewing them as direct replacements for one another (Finkel et al., 2017; Stangor et al., 2014). The key concepts of Interdependence Theory include:<\/span><\/p>\n


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