你我不必是心理学家也会明白：想要对爱情作出一个令所有人满意的定义，是一件十分困难的事。那么，心理学中关于爱情，有着哪些见解？

  心理学家斯滕伯格提出了爱情三角理论，为我们思考什么是爱情、如何描述一段爱情经历提供了一个简洁而又较为完整的框架。斯滕伯格认为，所有的爱情都包括3种基本成分：

  （1）亲密：爱情关系中能让双方感到彼此亲近、相互关联的情感体验。亲密是爱情中的情感成分；

  （2）激情：在爱情关系中带来强烈情绪体验的驱动力，如外表吸引力、性需要。激情是爱情中的动机成分；

  （3）承诺：一是指短期内爱一个人的决定；二是指长期维系关系做出的担保。承诺是爱情中的认知成分。

  根据这3种成分所占的比例不同，有7种类型的爱情（正常来讲，3个元素的组合方式应有8种，但3个成分都没有不算爱情，故共有7种）。

爱情三角理论的爱情结构

  （1）喜欢：只有亲密关系；

  （2）迷恋：仅有激情没有亲密和承诺，最明显的是十几岁少男少女的爱情关系；

  （3）空洞的爱：只有承诺，比如说普遍存在于中国古代的父母和媒人说了算的婚姻。

  （4）浪漫的爱：激情和亲密的组合；

  （5）同伴式的爱：亲密和承诺，而没有激情，这种爱情在老夫老妻中常见；

  （6）虚幻的爱：没有亲密，只有激情和承诺。

  （7）完美的爱：全部囊括3种成分的爱情，是爱情的最高体验。

（参考资料：《社会心理学》第四版 南开大学出版社）

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Triangular Theory of Love

We don't have to be psychologists to know that giving an agree-upon definition of love is a murderously tough task. Well, what does love look like in the scope of psychology?

Triangular theory of love, formulated by Sternberg, offers us a framework to describe and think about love. Sternberg hold that 3 basic elements universally presents in all kinds of love:

(1) intimacy: an emotional feeling which brings both partners closer. It is the emotional component of love.

(2) passion: a drive going in hand with storming emotional experience, such as charming appearances and sexual needs. Passion has a motive function.

(3) commitment: referring either to the decision of loving someone in a short period, or to the promises of maintaining a long-term relationship. Commitment is the cognitive element. 

There exists 7 types of love dependent upon the different proportions each element consisting of. Mathematically speaking, there should have been 8 types, but it is self-evident that a relationship in the absence of all 3 elements does not count as love.

The triangular structure of love according to Sternberg 

(1) Liking: this type of love only has intimacy;

(2) Infatuated love: passion is dominant. This type is commonly found in teenagers' relationships. 

(3) Empty love: there is no intimacy nor passion, but commitment. Empty love often appears in those marriages planned by parents and matchmakers in ancient China. 

(4) Romantic love: a combination of passion and intimacy;

(5) Companionate love: the passion decays, while the intimacy and commitment remain. Old couples are best demonstrations of this kind of relationship;

(6) Fatuous love: passion and commitment without intimacy. 

(7) Consummate love: this type includes all 3 elements and it is the peak experience of love.