Colour wheel theory of love
conceptual model in psychology illustrating a theory of love
The colour wheel theory of love was developed by the Canadian sociologist John Alan Lee to distinguish the different ways to love another person. Lee's types, termed love styles, comprise the basic patterns or similarities which emerged in an analysis of individual love stories.
The six most common love styles are summarised briefly by the American researcher Elaine Hatfield as follows:
Eros: love of beauty.
Ludus: playful love.
Storge: companionate love.
Mania: obsessive love.
Agape: altruistic love.
Pragma: realistic love.
Lee's types were developed with modern scientific methods; the Greek and Latin words were borrowed as labels. Lee's original theory proposed twelve types (with even more being possible), although usually only the six most common are listed.
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