Do our relationships follow a predictable storyline? In a Psychology Today article, Robert Sternberg asks readers to identify their love story in an effort for them to find their perfect match. Sternberg, whose theory of love is recounted in the text, suggests his previous work, which dissected the components of love, still leaves a couple's rather foundational questions entirely open. That is, "what makes a person the kind of lover they are?" and, "what attracts them to other lovers?" Sternberg suggests the answers to these questions are found in people's "love stories." Sternberg suggests that people's stories can be categorized into a limited number of types (e.g., the business story—"I believe close relationships are like good partnerships" or the travel story—"I believe that beginning a relationship is like starting a new journey that promises to be both exciting and challenging"). Once we realize our own story, Sternberg suggests, we can begin to recognize elements of that story in the stories of potential mates.

So, does this describe your relationship? Consider the following as well:

Is this classification scheme too subjective to be called scientific?

Can a theory of love be reduced to one story line?

If we all have implicit theories of love, where do they come from?

How well do the ideas expressed in this article fit with the theories mentioned in the text?