Psychology of Love: Compassionate Love

Study Notes

Types of Love

There are three types of love in successful romances, with a third type not accounted for by the triangular theory of love, which does not consider considerate caring for others as a component of love.

Compassionate Love

Combines trust and understanding of intimacy with compassion and caring, involving empathy, selflessness, and sacrifice for the beloved (Fehr & Sprecher, 2013).
Defined as altruistic care and concern for a partner's well-being, characterized by empathy and a benevolent wish to aid those in need.
Involves sharing the pain or joy of loved ones and prioritizing their well-being.
Measured by the Compassionate Love Scale created by Susan Sprecher and Beverley Fehr (2005).

Characteristics of Compassionate Lovers

Empathic and generous, with caring and concern for loved ones evident in their behaviors.
Provide more support and take pleasure in doing so, leading to more satisfied relationships (Sprecher et al., 2007).
Engage in thoughtful, benevolent, and generous actions that benefit their partners, contributing to relationship satisfaction.

Effects of Compassionate Love

Associated with more relationship satisfaction (Fehr & Sprecher, 2013).
Increases when partners engage in kind acts, such as those listed in Table 8.7, leading to greater relationship satisfaction the next day (Reis et al., 2014).

Description

Learn about the concept of compassionate love, a type of love that combines intimacy with empathy and caring for one's partner. Discover how this type of love differs from others and its significance in relationships.