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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
  • University of Wrocław
  • University of Tartu
  • Gulu University
  • Stockholm University
  • University of the Punjab
  • Westminster College
  • University of Nigeria
  • Istanbul University
  • THETA-Uganda
  • Marshall University
  • Norwegian University of Technology and Science (NTNU)
  • University Algiers 2
  • Australian National University
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • Russian Academy of Sciences
  • Ankara University
  • SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Université Catholique de Louvain
  • University of California at Santa Barbara
  • Technische Universität Dresden
  • Sivas Cumhuriyet University
  • Universidad de la República (Uruguay)
  • Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL)
  • UNAM Campus Morelia
  • Mohamed Lamine Dabbaghine University of Setif 2
  • University of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra
  • University of Maribor
  • University of Zagreb
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • University of Malaya
  • Huaqiao University
  • Palacký University
  • University of Primorska
  • University of Amsterdam
  • University of Niš
  • Opole University
  • University of Pecs
  • Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Peru
  • Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
  • Middle East University, Jordan
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • University of Monterrey
  • University of Delhi
  • University of Havana
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
  • K.Bendukidze Free University
  • University of Vienna
  • University Utara Malaysia
  • Vilnius University
  • University of British Columbia
  • Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
  • UNATC-CINETIc Bucharest
  • Slovak Academy of Sciences
  • John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
  • The Delve Pvt Ltd
  • University of Gdańsk
  • Center of Social and Psychological Sciences SAS
  • Aga Khan University
  • Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
  • University of Prof. Dr. Moestopo (Beragama)
  • Kyung Hee University
  • Bahria University
  • University of Ljubljana
  • Cornell University

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

75 Scopus citations

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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)106-115
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Sex Research
Volume58
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

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