How Will I Love You? Self-Esteem Instability Moderates the Association Between Self-Esteem Level and Romantic Love Styles

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether fragile self-esteem was associated with romantic love styles. This was accomplished by examining the associations that each romantic love style had with self-esteem level and self-esteem instability among 385 undergraduates. The results of the present study show that self-esteem instability moderated the associations that self-esteem level had with Eros (love style dominated by passion) and Storge (love style characterized by companionship and trust) such that individuals with stable high self-esteem reported the highest levels of these romantic love styles. Men with stable low self-esteem reported higher levels of Pragma (love style focused on practicality and suitability) than other men. Women with stable self-esteem reported relatively low levels of Ludus (love style focused on game-playing). The pattern of these results suggests that individuals with stable high self-esteem are more likely to engage in romantic love styles that are conducive to establishing and deepening emotional connections with romantic partners, whereas individuals who are uncertain about their feelings of self-worth are more likely to employ romantic love styles concerned with self-protection.