In the last two decades, Robert Sternberg, a psychologist at Yale University, has done a great deal of work in describing love and determining what makes a love relationship successful. Sternberg suggests three components of love and various combinations of these components form the different types of love. The three components of love are intimacy, passion, and commitment. Intimacy involves emotional bondedness and connection. It is usually characterized by understanding, mutual exchange of support, and reciprocal desire to protect well-being.
Passion involves romance, physical attraction, and sexual consummation.
Commitment involves a deep attachment, recognition of love, and decision to stay with a person. From combinations of these components, Sternberg identified eight categories of love. None of the components are present. The intimacy component is present in some degree, but since passion and commitment are absent, there is no sexual attraction or expectations for future involvement. Passion is present in these relationships, but no emotional intimacy or desire for commitment.