Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries

Piotr Sorokowski; Agnieszka Sorokowska; Maciej Karwowski; Agata Groyecka; Toivo Aavik; Grace Akello; Charlotte Alm; Naumana Amjad; Afifa Anjum; Kelly Asao; Chiemezie S. Atama; Derya Atamtürk Duyar; Richard Ayebare; Carlota Batres; Mons Bendixen; Aicha Bensafia; Boris Bizumic; Mahmoud Boussena; David M. Buss; Marina Butovskaya; Seda Can; Katarzyna Cantarero; Antonin Carrier; Hakan Çetinkaya; Dominika Chabin; Daniel Conroy-Beam; Ilona Croy; Rosa María Cueto; Marcin Czub; Daria Dronova; Seda Dural; Izzet Duyar; Berna Ertugrul; Agustín Espinosa; Ignacio Estevan; Carla Sofia Esteves; Tomasz Frackowiak; Jorge Contreras Graduño; Farida Guemaz; Tran Ha Thu; Mária Haľamová; Iskra Herak; Marina Horvat; Ivana Hromatko; Chin Ming Hui; Jas Laile Jaafar; Feng Jiang; Konstantinos Kafetsios; Tina Kavcic; Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair; Nicolas Kervyn; Nils C. Köbis; Aleksandra Kostic; Anna Krasnodębska; András Láng; Georgina R. Lennard; Ernesto León; Torun Lindholm; Gulia Lopez; Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba; Alvaro Mailhos; Zoi Manesi; Rocio Martinez; Mario Sainz Martinez; Sarah L. McKerchar; Norbert Meskó; Girishwar Misra; Conal Monaghan; Emanuel C. Mora; Alba Moya-Garófano; Bojan Musil; Jean Carlos Natividade; George Nizharadze; Elisabeth Oberzaucher; Anna Oleszkiewicz; Mohd Sofian Omar Fauzee; Ike E. Onyishi; Baris Özener; Ariela Francesca Pagani; Vilmante Pakalniskiene; Miriam Parise; Bogusław Pawłowski; Farid Pazhoohi; Marija Pejičić; Annette Pisanski; Katarzyna Pisanski; Nejc Plohl; Edna Ponciano; Camelia Popa; Pavol Prokop; Aneta Przepiórka; Truong Quang Lam; Muhammad Rizwan; Joanna Różycka-Tran; Svjetlana Salkičević; Ruta Sargautyte; Ivan Sarmany-Schuller; Susanne Schmehl; Anam Shahid; Rizwana Shaikh; Shivantika Sharad; Franco Simonetti; Meri Tadinac; Truong Thi Khanh Ha; Karina Ugalde González; Christin Melanie Vauclair; Luis Diego Vega; Dwi Ajeng Widarini; Bogdan Wojciszke; Gyesook Yoo; Zainab Fotowwat Zadeh; Marta Zaťková; Maja Zupančič; Robert J. Sternberg

doi:10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries

Piotr Sorokowski^*, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Maciej Karwowski, Agata Groyecka, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina ButovskayaSeda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Çetinkaya, Dominika Chabin, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Ignacio Estevan, Carla Sofia Esteves, Tomasz Frackowiak, Jorge Contreras Graduño, Farida Guemaz, Tran Ha Thu, Mária Haľamová, Iskra Herak, Marina Horvat, Ivana Hromatko, Chin Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavcic, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Nicolas Kervyn, Nils C. Köbis, Aleksandra Kostic, Anna Krasnodębska, András Láng, Georgina R. Lennard, Ernesto León, Torun Lindholm, Gulia Lopez, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Alvaro Mailhos, Zoi Manesi, Rocio Martinez, Mario Sainz Martinez, Sarah L. McKerchar, Norbert Meskó, Girishwar Misra, Conal Monaghan, Emanuel C. Mora, Alba Moya-Garófano, Bojan Musil, Jean Carlos Natividade, George Nizharadze, Elisabeth Oberzaucher, Anna Oleszkiewicz, Mohd Sofian Omar Fauzee, Ike E. Onyishi, Baris Özener, Ariela Francesca Pagani, Vilmante Pakalniskiene, Miriam Parise, Bogusław Pawłowski, Farid Pazhoohi, Marija Pejičić, Annette Pisanski, Katarzyna Pisanski, Nejc Plohl, Edna Ponciano, Camelia Popa, Pavol Prokop, Aneta Przepiórka, Truong Quang Lam, Muhammad Rizwan, Joanna Różycka-Tran, Svjetlana Salkičević, Ruta Sargautyte, Ivan Sarmany-Schuller, Susanne Schmehl, Anam Shahid, Rizwana Shaikh, Shivantika Sharad, Franco Simonetti, Meri Tadinac, Truong Thi Khanh Ha, Karina Ugalde González, Christin Melanie Vauclair, Luis Diego Vega, Dwi Ajeng Widarini, Bogdan Wojciszke, Gyesook Yoo, Zainab Fotowwat Zadeh, Marta Zaťková, Maja Zupančič, Robert J. Sternberg

^*Corresponding author for this work

Departamento de Psicología

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

45 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	106-115
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Sex Research
Volume	58
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318
Publication status	Published - 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by National Science Center?Poland [2014/13/B/HS6/02644]. Butovskaya M., and Dronova D. were supported by state assignment of the Institute of ethnology and anthropology, Moscow, Russia. We would like to thank the Editor - Cynthia A. Graham - for her kind help and assistance.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Gender Studies
Sociology and Political Science
General Psychology
History and Philosophy of Science

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10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

Cite this

Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Karwowski, M., Groyecka, A., Aavik, T., Akello, G., Alm, C., Amjad, N., Anjum, A., Asao, K., Atama, C. S., Atamtürk Duyar, D., Ayebare, R., Batres, C., Bendixen, M., Bensafia, A., Bizumic, B., Boussena, M., Buss, D. M., ... Sternberg, R. J. (2021). Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries. Journal of Sex Research, 58(1), 106-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

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title = "Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries",

abstract = "The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg{\textquoteright}s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.",

author = "Piotr Sorokowski and Agnieszka Sorokowska and Maciej Karwowski and Agata Groyecka and Toivo Aavik and Grace Akello and Charlotte Alm and Naumana Amjad and Afifa Anjum and Kelly Asao and Atama, {Chiemezie S.} and {Atamt{\"u}rk Duyar}, Derya and Richard Ayebare and Carlota Batres and Mons Bendixen and Aicha Bensafia and Boris Bizumic and Mahmoud Boussena and Buss, {David M.} and Marina Butovskaya and Seda Can and Katarzyna Cantarero and Antonin Carrier and Hakan {\c C}etinkaya and Dominika Chabin and Daniel Conroy-Beam and Ilona Croy and Cueto, {Rosa Mar{\'i}a} and Marcin Czub and Daria Dronova and Seda Dural and Izzet Duyar and Berna Ertugrul and Agust{\'i}n Espinosa and Ignacio Estevan and Esteves, {Carla Sofia} and Tomasz Frackowiak and Gradu{\~n}o, {Jorge Contreras} and Farida Guemaz and {Ha Thu}, Tran and M{\'a}ria Ha{\v I}amov{\'a} and Iskra Herak and Marina Horvat and Ivana Hromatko and Hui, {Chin Ming} and Jaafar, {Jas Laile} and Feng Jiang and Konstantinos Kafetsios and Tina Kavcic and Kennair, {Leif Edward Ottesen} and Nicolas Kervyn and K{\"o}bis, {Nils C.} and Aleksandra Kostic and Anna Krasnod{\c e}bska and Andr{\'a}s L{\'a}ng and Lennard, {Georgina R.} and Ernesto Le{\'o}n and Torun Lindholm and Gulia Lopez and Alhabahba, {Mohammad Madallh} and Alvaro Mailhos and Zoi Manesi and Rocio Martinez and {Sainz Martinez}, Mario and McKerchar, {Sarah L.} and Norbert Mesk{\'o} and Girishwar Misra and Conal Monaghan and Mora, {Emanuel C.} and Alba Moya-Gar{\'o}fano and Bojan Musil and Natividade, {Jean Carlos} and George Nizharadze and Elisabeth Oberzaucher and Anna Oleszkiewicz and {Omar Fauzee}, {Mohd Sofian} and Onyishi, {Ike E.} and Baris {\"O}zener and Pagani, {Ariela Francesca} and Vilmante Pakalniskiene and Miriam Parise and Bogus{\l}aw Paw{\l}owski and Farid Pazhoohi and Marija Peji{\v c}i{\'c} and Annette Pisanski and Katarzyna Pisanski and Nejc Plohl and Edna Ponciano and Camelia Popa and Pavol Prokop and Aneta Przepi{\'o}rka and {Quang Lam}, Truong and Muhammad Rizwan and Joanna R{\'o}{\.z}ycka-Tran and Svjetlana Salki{\v c}evi{\'c} and Ruta Sargautyte and Ivan Sarmany-Schuller and Susanne Schmehl and Anam Shahid and Rizwana Shaikh and Shivantika Sharad and Franco Simonetti and Meri Tadinac and {Thi Khanh Ha}, Truong and {Ugalde Gonz{\'a}lez}, Karina and Vauclair, {Christin Melanie} and Vega, {Luis Diego} and Widarini, {Dwi Ajeng} and Bogdan Wojciszke and Gyesook Yoo and Zadeh, {Zainab Fotowwat} and Marta Za{\v t}kov{\'a} and Maja Zupan{\v c}i{\v c} and Sternberg, {Robert J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by National Science Center?Poland [2014/13/B/HS6/02644]. Butovskaya M., and Dronova D. were supported by state assignment of the Institute of ethnology and anthropology, Moscow, Russia. We would like to thank the Editor - Cynthia A. Graham - for her kind help and assistance. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

pages = "106--115",

journal = "Journal of Sex Research",

issn = "0022-4499",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "1",

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Sorokowski, P, Sorokowska, A, Karwowski, M, Groyecka, A, Aavik, T, Akello, G, Alm, C, Amjad, N, Anjum, A, Asao, K, Atama, CS, Atamtürk Duyar, D, Ayebare, R, Batres, C, Bendixen, M, Bensafia, A, Bizumic, B, Boussena, M, Buss, DM, Butovskaya, M, Can, S, Cantarero, K, Carrier, A, Çetinkaya, H, Chabin, D, Conroy-Beam, D, Croy, I, Cueto, RM, Czub, M, Dronova, D, Dural, S, Duyar, I, Ertugrul, B, Espinosa, A, Estevan, I, Esteves, CS, Frackowiak, T, Graduño, JC, Guemaz, F, Ha Thu, T, Haľamová, M, Herak, I, Horvat, M, Hromatko, I, Hui, CM, Jaafar, JL, Jiang, F, Kafetsios, K, Kavcic, T, Kennair, LEO, Kervyn, N, Köbis, NC, Kostic, A, Krasnodębska, A, Láng, A, Lennard, GR, León, E, Lindholm, T, Lopez, G, Alhabahba, MM, Mailhos, A, Manesi, Z, Martinez, R, Sainz Martinez, M, McKerchar, SL, Meskó, N, Misra, G, Monaghan, C, Mora, EC, Moya-Garófano, A, Musil, B, Natividade, JC, Nizharadze, G, Oberzaucher, E, Oleszkiewicz, A, Omar Fauzee, MS, Onyishi, IE, Özener, B, Pagani, AF, Pakalniskiene, V, Parise, M, Pawłowski, B, Pazhoohi, F, Pejičić, M, Pisanski, A, Pisanski, K, Plohl, N, Ponciano, E, Popa, C, Prokop, P, Przepiórka, A, Quang Lam, T, Rizwan, M, Różycka-Tran, J, Salkičević, S, Sargautyte, R, Sarmany-Schuller, I, Schmehl, S, Shahid, A, Shaikh, R, Sharad, S, Simonetti, F, Tadinac, M, Thi Khanh Ha, T, Ugalde González, K, Vauclair, CM, Vega, LD, Widarini, DA, Wojciszke, B, Yoo, G, Zadeh, ZF, Zaťková, M, Zupančič, M & Sternberg, RJ 2021, 'Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries', Journal of Sex Research, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 106-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

TY - JOUR

T1 - Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love

T2 - Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries

AU - Sorokowski, Piotr

AU - Sorokowska, Agnieszka

AU - Karwowski, Maciej

AU - Groyecka, Agata

AU - Aavik, Toivo

AU - Akello, Grace

AU - Alm, Charlotte

AU - Amjad, Naumana

AU - Anjum, Afifa

AU - Asao, Kelly

AU - Atama, Chiemezie S.

AU - Atamtürk Duyar, Derya

AU - Ayebare, Richard

AU - Batres, Carlota

AU - Bendixen, Mons

AU - Bensafia, Aicha

AU - Bizumic, Boris

AU - Boussena, Mahmoud

AU - Buss, David M.

AU - Butovskaya, Marina

AU - Can, Seda

AU - Cantarero, Katarzyna

AU - Carrier, Antonin

AU - Çetinkaya, Hakan

AU - Chabin, Dominika

AU - Conroy-Beam, Daniel

AU - Croy, Ilona

AU - Cueto, Rosa María

AU - Czub, Marcin

AU - Dronova, Daria

AU - Dural, Seda

AU - Duyar, Izzet

AU - Ertugrul, Berna

AU - Espinosa, Agustín

AU - Estevan, Ignacio

AU - Esteves, Carla Sofia

AU - Frackowiak, Tomasz

AU - Graduño, Jorge Contreras

AU - Guemaz, Farida

AU - Ha Thu, Tran

AU - Haľamová, Mária

AU - Herak, Iskra

AU - Horvat, Marina

AU - Hromatko, Ivana

AU - Hui, Chin Ming

AU - Jaafar, Jas Laile

AU - Jiang, Feng

AU - Kafetsios, Konstantinos

AU - Kavcic, Tina

AU - Kennair, Leif Edward Ottesen

AU - Kervyn, Nicolas

AU - Köbis, Nils C.

AU - Kostic, Aleksandra

AU - Krasnodębska, Anna

AU - Láng, András

AU - Lennard, Georgina R.

AU - León, Ernesto

AU - Lindholm, Torun

AU - Lopez, Gulia

AU - Alhabahba, Mohammad Madallh

AU - Mailhos, Alvaro

AU - Manesi, Zoi

AU - Martinez, Rocio

AU - Sainz Martinez, Mario

AU - McKerchar, Sarah L.

AU - Meskó, Norbert

AU - Misra, Girishwar

AU - Monaghan, Conal

AU - Mora, Emanuel C.

AU - Moya-Garófano, Alba

AU - Musil, Bojan

AU - Natividade, Jean Carlos

AU - Nizharadze, George

AU - Oberzaucher, Elisabeth

AU - Oleszkiewicz, Anna

AU - Omar Fauzee, Mohd Sofian

AU - Onyishi, Ike E.

AU - Özener, Baris

AU - Pagani, Ariela Francesca

AU - Pakalniskiene, Vilmante

AU - Parise, Miriam

AU - Pawłowski, Bogusław

AU - Pazhoohi, Farid

AU - Pejičić, Marija

AU - Pisanski, Annette

AU - Pisanski, Katarzyna

AU - Plohl, Nejc

AU - Ponciano, Edna

AU - Popa, Camelia

AU - Prokop, Pavol

AU - Przepiórka, Aneta

AU - Quang Lam, Truong

AU - Rizwan, Muhammad

AU - Różycka-Tran, Joanna

AU - Salkičević, Svjetlana

AU - Sargautyte, Ruta

AU - Sarmany-Schuller, Ivan

AU - Schmehl, Susanne

AU - Shahid, Anam

AU - Shaikh, Rizwana

AU - Sharad, Shivantika

AU - Simonetti, Franco

AU - Tadinac, Meri

AU - Thi Khanh Ha, Truong

AU - Ugalde González, Karina

AU - Vauclair, Christin Melanie

AU - Vega, Luis Diego

AU - Widarini, Dwi Ajeng

AU - Wojciszke, Bogdan

AU - Yoo, Gyesook

AU - Zadeh, Zainab Fotowwat

AU - Zaťková, Marta

AU - Zupančič, Maja

AU - Sternberg, Robert J.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by National Science Center?Poland [2014/13/B/HS6/02644]. Butovskaya M., and Dronova D. were supported by state assignment of the Institute of ethnology and anthropology, Moscow, Russia. We would like to thank the Editor - Cynthia A. Graham - for her kind help and assistance. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.

AB - The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85095121657&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

DO - 10.1080/00224499.2020.1787318

M3 - Article

C2 - 32783568

AN - SCOPUS:85095121657

SN - 0022-4499

VL - 58

SP - 106

EP - 115

JO - Journal of Sex Research

JF - Journal of Sex Research

IS - 1

ER -

Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries

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