What fuels passion? An integrative review of competing theories of romantic passion

Carswell, Kathleen L.; Impett, Emily A.

Abstract

In an integrative review, we examine four theories and models of romantic passion to determine what causes feelings of romantic passion. Although a growing consensus has emerged for the definition of romantic passion, we suggest that this is largely not the case for the source of romantic passion. We outline how four different perspectives—Limerence Theory, the Rate of Change in Intimacy Model, the Self-Expansion Model, and the Triangular Theory of Love—propose four different potential sources of romantic passion and review empirical support in favor and against each. For each of these perspectives, we additionally outline the predicted trajectory of passion that follows from each theorized source of passion, as well as each perspective's view on the ability for passion to be controlled and up-regulated. In identifying ways in which these theories and models offer conflicting predictions about the source of romantic passion, this review points to ways in which a more comprehensive model may be developed that integrates across these four perspectives.

Citation

Carswell, K. L., & Impett, E. A. (2021). What fuels passion? An integrative review of competing theories of romantic passion. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 15(8), Article e12629. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12629

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 14, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jul 6, 2021
• Publication Date: Aug 7, 2021
• Deposit Date: Aug 13, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 13, 2021
• Journal: Social and Personality Psychology Compass
• Electronic ISSN: 1751-9004
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 8
• Article Number: e12629
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12629
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1244026