Measurement of Love and Intimate Relations: Theories, Scales, and Applications for Love Development, Maintenance, and Dissolution

Abstract

Tzeng, O. C. S. (1993). Measurement of Love and Intimate Relations: Theories, Scales, and Applications for Love Development, Maintenance, and Dissolution. Westport, CT: Praeger. 299 pp. Hardcover ISBN 0-275-94273-2, price $65.00. This book on measurement of love is a sequel to Tzeng's first volume on subject of love. It consists of a collection, evaluation, and summary of existing measurements of love behaviors. The first half of book presents theoretical foundations for development and evaluation of over 30 love theories organized by eight relationship stages. The second half presents empirical research studies on love measurement scales. Chapter 1 outlines a common methodological framework that includes four considerations for evaluation and development of theories of love. These include forms of theories (e.g., inductive or deductive), components of theories (e.g., postulates and constructs), utility of theories (e.g., prediction ability), and evaluation criteria (e.g., comprehensiveness and parsimony). Chapter 2 describes a common theoretical content framework for studying love. Based on methodological framework and theoretical framework, two models of love are presented: an intrapersonal model and an interpersonal model. In addition, a more general, overarching psychosemantic process paradigm is described. This grand model includes five phases of relationship development that comprehensively explain process of falling into and out of love. Tzeng uses this overarching model in his evaluation of 26 love measurement scales later in Chapter 5. Chapter 3 summarizes history of concept of love and presents Tzeng's Octagonal Love Model, which operationally divides entire process, from development to dissolution of love between two people into eight stages (beginning with strangers and ending with separation or divorce). The model is also used to categorize existing measurements in Chapter 5. The second part of this chapter presents summary descriptions of over 30 love theories. They are evaluated in terms of Tzeng's previously outlined 10 components of his intrapersonal love model and his common methodological framework for theory development and evaluation. Among theories he reviews are psychosexual love theory of Freud, attachment theory, romantic love theory, passionate and compassionate love, equity theory, and stimulus, value, role theory. His general conclusion following his evaluation is, the scientific study of love, barely in its third decade, has not yet matured into a fully developed systematic field of inquiry (p. 78). He calls for a comprehensive study and development of a grand theory of entire life cycle of a relationship in continuous, cohesive terms. The second half of book begins with Chapter 4, which describes theoretical considerations behind measurement of love, including five factors to consider before measuring love. Measurement techniques, forms of reliability and validity, and preparation techniques (e.g., scoring decisions) for statistical analyses are described. Perhaps most interesting guidelines are those for choosing instruments for clinical practice. Chapter 5 compiles 26 love measurement scales that are organized under eight octagonal stages described in Chapter 3. Their content foci are summarized and each tool is described in terms of name, theoretical foundations, author(s), references, number of items in scale, response format for subjects, constructs measured by scale, reliability and validity information, applicability of scale, scoring method, and measurement scales themselves. …