Exploring the Similarity of Partners’ Love Styles and Their Relationships With Marital Satisfaction: A Dyadic Approach

Mirian Agus,Luisa Puddu,Rosalba Raffagnino

doi:10.1177/21582440211040785

Abstract

In this paper, we report on the findings of our exploratory research investigating how the similarity or difference of the partners’ love styles could be related to dyadic and familial satisfaction. The empirical literature outlines how love styles are differently associated with various couple dimensions. While most studies employ an individual approach, we assessed whether the similarity of the prevalent love style in each couple was associated with greater dyadic satisfaction. In our sample, comprising 146 heterosexual couples (all married or cohabitating), no such association emerged. Storge and Pragma were the most prevalent love styles; moreover, there was a similar prevalence of the similarity in these two love styles between partners. Hence, the love styles similarity does not show a direct association with marital satisfaction. To establish whether there is some relationship between these variables, it would be useful for future research to investigate the impact of further individual and relational factors and of their interaction.

Highlights

Romantic love has been considered a fundamental component in people’s lives, and the most important motivation to commit in lasting relationships, such as marriage or cohabitation (Hoesni et al, 2013)
We identified 146 heterosexual cohabiting couples in which a prevalent love style was found for each partner
The joint frequency distributions were assessed, using a cross tabulation in which the prevalent love style of males is indicated in the rows and the prevalent love style of females is reported in columns

Summary

Introduction

Romantic love has been considered a fundamental component in people’s lives, and the most important motivation to commit in lasting relationships, such as marriage or cohabitation (Hoesni et al, 2013). Lee (1973) considered love as a multifaceted experience deriving from the different attitudes that people have toward this emotion He recognized and classified them into six love styles, three primary—Eros, Ludus and Storge—and three secondary—Mania, Pragma and Agape –which have been further described by Hendrick and Hendrick (1986). People who experience Eros style love (passionate love) express passion, physical, and emotional attraction and commitment toward their romantic relationship. Those who experience Ludus style love (game playing love) tend to see love as a game, remaining detached from affectionate relationships, and expressing a playful and uncommitted attitude, with little sentiment. The pathological style is Mania (possessive and dependent love), an insecure and dependent experience of love that combines Eros and Ludus and is considered the purest form of romantic obsession (Acevedo & Aron, 2009)

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