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The present study examines if relationship satisfaction changes over time among couples. It further explores the relationship between love styles and relationship satisfaction. The sample comprised 20 dating couples, 20 couples married for less than 2 years (childless) and 20 couples married for more than 15 years (with children). Love Attitude Scale (Hendrick and Hendrick, 1987) to study various love styles, viz. Eros (passionate love), Storge (friendship based love), Pragma (practical love), Mania (possessive love) and Agape (selfless love), and Relationship Assessment Scale (Hendrick and Hendrick, 1988) to examine relationship satisfaction was administered. Analyses included correlation and one-way ANOVA. Results indicated that relationship satisfaction did not differ across life stages. Among the various love styles, only Eros and Agape were significantly correlated with relationship satisfaction across life stages. Implications, limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Key words: Love styles, Life stage, Relationship Satisfaction, Gender.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Love is among the most fundamental aspects of the experience of human beings. Love is an important predictor of happiness, satisfaction, and positive emotions (Diener and Lucas, 2000). People who are not in stable romantic relationships tend to report lower self-esteem, less life satisfaction, less happiness and more distress (Dush and Amato, 2005). Married people are happier than unmarried people, whether divorced, separated or never married. They also report the highest level of well- being, followed by cohabitors and young adults who are steadily dating, while singles have the lowest level of well-being (Soons, 2009).
Despite the significance of love, it remains an elusive phenomenon. So many questions remain unanswered. How many of us can say, for example how love grows or wanes over a period of time, how our beliefs about love impact our relationship satisfaction. The present study attempts to answer these questions.
Love styles offer rich descriptions of the current beliefs adults hold about love. Based on extensive research, Lee (1973) identified six different measurable "love-styles":
^ Eros: The Eros lover is characterized by passion, though a passion broader than just a physical one. The Eros lover tends to be drawn toward a preferred physical type.
^ Ludus: It is a love style which views love as a game. Ludic lovers are playful and refuse to commit the whole life to develop...