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1. STORGE (life-long friends)
The constructed type of storgic love is characterized
by rapport, self-revelation, interdependency, and mutual need fulfillment
(Reiss, 1960). Storgic lovers are essentially good friends who have grown
in intimacy through close association, with an unquestioned assumption
that their relationship will be permanent and that they will find a way
to deal with their problems that causes them minimum pain. A storgic lover
does not fantasize finding some other — perhaps unknown but ideal — lover
in the future and abandoning the storgic partner. It never occurs to extreme
storgic types that a romantic ‘knight on a white horse" or "femme fatale"
will appear at some future time to solve their problems. It is more likely
that even if this should occur to the storgic lover, he/she would need
the storgic partner around to discuss the romantic lover, to give advice,
and to share the joys of discovery.The storgic lover is not a person bored by routine
home activity, but is more likely to find it comfortable and relaxing.
Storgic lovers are not constantly on the search for new love experiences;
rather they enjoy the security of being able to predict each other’s responses
to their behaviors.
If storgic lovers should break up, they would probably
remain close and caring friends, perhaps continue corresponding with one
another and actively caring about one another.
Physical intimacy, coitus, and the appreciation of
their partners as sexual persons usually come relatively late in a storgic
relationship, are accepted comfortably and joyously when they do appear
on the scene, and are thus satisfying. Pure storgic types are extremely
unlikely to "keep an eye out" for new or more romantic partners.
Temporary separations are not great problems to storgic
lovers. Their mutual trust is such that separations are viewed as necessary
inconveniences, needed diversions or opportunities for personal growth
which will either improve or at least not damage their relationship.
The storgic lover does not "fall in love" in the
way that other types of lovers do. The storgic type is more likely to recognize
that he/she has been in love for some time without realizing it earlier.
As a result, anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine’s day and the like occasions
are not important to them and may even be forgotten or overshadowed by
other matters.
In many ways storgic lovers resemble siblings in
their understanding of the love relationship. If they fight and argue,
it is not an indication that they do no love each other. They are likely
to feel that when their love has matured it will be permanent and that
they cannot replace their relationship with each other any more than they
can replace those that they have with siblings or with parents.
2. AGAPIC
(totally "thou" centered)
An agapic lover is forgiving. This kind of love typically
assumes that when the loved one causes pain to himself or herself or to
someone else, that he or she is acting in ignorance, innocent error, or
is the victim of forces not originating in the love-object’s personality.
A male agapic lover might, for example, help his female love object arrange
an abortion if she became pregnant by someone else during their love affair.
Or he might easily love and accept a child conceived by some other man
with deep concern for the anguish caused to h is loved one and with tender
affection for the child. An agapic lover would be more likely to help his
or her love object to get medical attention for a venereal disease contracted
from someone else during their love affair thqn to be angry or punitive
toward the love object for having a sexual relationship with another.
Agapic persons never "fall in love." Their love for
others is always available and they are simply given the opportunity by
some of their love objects to show their love to a greater extent than
they are by others. An agapic lover cares enough about his/her love object’s
happiness to u derstand and give up the loved one if that would seem to
give him or her a greater chance for happiness elsewhere.
An agapic lover is patient with the behaviors of
his or her love object to an extent that seems to border on masochism.
The ideal agapic lover would wait indefinitely for a love object to be
released from prison or from a mental hospital, would tolerate the behaviors
of an alcoholic or drug-addicted spouse, and would be willing to live with
a partner who was engaging in illegal or immoral activities, even though
he/she personally disapproved of such behaviors. The agapic lover is always
supportive of h is/her partner.
3. MANIA (Possessiveness
and Intense Dependency)
The constructed ideal of this type of lover is obsessed with his or her
love object. A manic lover may be unable to sleep, eat, or even think logically
around the loved one. The manic lover has peaks of excitement, but also
depths of depression, with very few periods without a high or low.
This type of lover is jealous to an extent that might
be described as irrational. A manic lover cannot tolerate loss of contact
with a love object, even for short periods of time, and is distressed by
a lack of the lover’s presence or anticipated interaction. A manic lover
is typically crushed by real or fancied rejection, possibly to the point
of suicidal ideation.
The manic lover often tried to manipulate the behaviors
or feelings of the loved one, but because he or she seems to be bereft
of logic, often succeeds only in looking foolish in his or he own eyes.
For example, a manic lover may tell their loved one that they should spend
a few days apart to think objectively about their relationship, and then
go into a state of panic because the partner cannot be located during that
period. Manic lovers do not tolerate separation at all well.
The manic lover has a tendency to review his or her
abortive love affairs and speculate about what when wrong that terminated
them. Manic lovers frequently have sexual problems as well as problems
in handling other forms of intimate interaction. Because of their high
level or anxiety, manic lovers would be expected to have problems related
to anxiety, such as vaginismus or premature ejaculation.
Mania is probably associated with low self-esteem
and a poor self concept. Because of this, manic persons are typically not
attractive to persons who have good self concepts and high self esteem.
They become burdensome to more self-sufficient others. If they are rejected
by them, their anxieties intensify, making them even less attractive.
4. PRAGMA (logical-sensible)
The ideal constructed type identified as pragma
is that of a person who is unable to invest love in "unworthy" love objects.
The pragmatic lover is keenly aware of the comparison level for alternatives
that he or she has. Pragmatic lovers are inclined to look realistically
a their own assets, decide on their "market value" and set off to get the
best possible "deal" in their partners. Once the "deal" is made, the pragmatic
lover remains loyal and faithful and defines his or her status as "in love"
because the loved one is a "good bargain." Should the assets of either
partner change, the pragmatic lover may feel her or his contract has been
violated, and may begin to search for another partner.A pragmatic lover typically assists the loved one
to fulfill his or her potentials; for example, such a lover might make
sure the love object finishes school, asks for deserved promotions, gets
the attention or that he or she "deserves" from physicians, stockbrokers,
or employers.
Typically, a pragmatic lover maximized his or her
own assets before "putting them on the market." A male pragma may decide
not to become involved with any females until he has 410,000 in the bank,
or has gone through psychoanalysis, or has a secure job, or has assured
himself by reading enough or consulting experts to be sure he is sexually
skillful, or the like. A sterile or impotent pragmatic lover may deliberately
seek out a widow or widower with children if he or she wants a family.
Once a prospect is in sight, the prototypical pragmatic
lover might check out future in-laws and friends systematically, find out
if the couple’s Rh factors are compatible, and obtain assurance that there
is a minimal probability of hereditary defects showing up in their mutual
children and so forth.
Pragmatic persons break up or divorce or stay married
for practical reasons. Divorce may actually be planned for some future
date. For example, pragmatic partners may decide to finish school, to get
a different job at another location, to put their youngest child through
high school, or to reach some other such goal or state before they get
divorced.
Pragma always looks at things in context and know
his or her basic values, scaling everything by them. (E.g. if sex life
is mediocre, pragma may consult a sex counselor, but is more likely to
assign sexual activity a low value in his or her value system and simply
accept its mediocrity. "After all, he is a good provider, and being orgasmic
isn’t all that important." "She is a good mother, and I can get by on coitus
once a week without getting too tense.")
While other types may have spontaneous orgasms or
masturbate just from thughts of the beloved, pragma probably learns to
recognize sexual tension and relieve it when necessary for sleep or comfort
(if sex is not devalued).
Pragma thinks ahead about family size (an probably
even about what sex the children will be). if pragma is a schoolteacher,
he or she may plan an October/November conception so the baby will arrive
during vacation.
5. LUDUS (Self-centered
Game Player)
The ideal constructed type of a ludic lover is that
of a person who ‘plays’ love affairs as he or she plays games or puzzles
— to win, to get the greatest rewards for the least cost. A ludic lover
hates dependency, either in himself/herself or in others. This type shies
away from commitment of any sort (does not like lovers to take him or her
for granted). The ludic lover enjoys strategies, and may keep two or three
or even four lovers "on the string" at one time. A ludic lover may even
create a fictional lover to discourage a real one’s hopes for a permanent
relationship. He or she avoids long range plans, is careful not to date
the same person often enough to create the illusion of a stable relationship.
A ludic lover would rather find a new sex partner than to work out sexual
problems with an old one. And yet, he or she may suddenly show up for a
replay, even years later, with birthday flowers, a bottle of a favorite
wine, a sentimental Valentine, or a record of a favorite song, and vanish
just as suddenly. A ludic lover usually enjoys love affairs, and hence
rarely regrets them unless the threat of commitment or dependency becomes
too great.
Dates with a ludic person are never dull, even though
they may not happen with great regularity. He or she is never possessive
or jealous. Theludic lover usually has good self concept, usually is assured
of current success in love as well as most other areas. Unlike a pragmatic
lover, a ludic lover never reveals all of hisself or herself n or demands
such revelation by partners.
Ludic lovers are not likely to be very sophisticated
sexually. As a rule, they have only one sexual routine; if the sex partner
is not pleased by the ludic lover’s sexual pattern, then the ludic one
simply finds another partner rather than attempting to improve an unsatisfying
relationship. If she does not like his sexual behavior, the ludic man moves
on to someone who does; if he does not get an erection or bring her to
orgasm on his own (with no help for her) the ludic woman looks for a man
who will. Sex is self-centered and may be exploitative rather than symbolic
of a relationship. A ludic lover does not listen to (or take time for)
feedback’ that suggests commitment, which is "scary." A ludic lover may
not even want to be h is or her partner’s best sex partner because that
might necessitate commitment or dependency that would be "awful." Physical
appearance of the partner is less important than other qualities, such
as self-sufficiency and lack of demanding behavior, to ludic persons.
6. EROS (Romantic)
The constructed type f Eros is romantic love. Erotic
lovers believe that love at first sight is possible if not mandatory. Falling
in love is highly desirable. It is believed to produce an optimum state
in the whole mind-body; persons in love feel 10 years younger, sleep well,
wake up rested and refreshed. Impotent persons become potent; inorgasmic
persons become orgasmic. Every gland and organ is believed to be operating
at maximum efficiency.
Eros is monogamous although often serially. Erotic
lovers remember exactly how their partners looked when they met; they remember
exactly the day they met, the time they first touched, the time they first
kissed, the day, hour, minute, place, smell, lighting effects of their
first sex; and they expect their partners to remember and celebrate the
anniversaries of such occasions.
An erotic lover is certain he or she is in love because
the beloved has exactly the skin, fragrance, hair, voice, body build, eye
color and style he or she like the most. If that is not objectively true,
it becomes easy to believe it is true.
The romantic lover must always have his or her best
foot forward. Risks of losing the beloved cannot be afforded. On the other
hand, erotic lovers constantly search for new ways to please their beloveds
with ever-increasing delights — presents, new foods, new sexual techniques,
and so on.
An erotic lover wants to know everything about
the beloved from the first moment of their meeting, all of his or her experiences,
joys and sorrows, who else he or she has loved in the past, how much and
in what ways. At the same time, an erotic lover wants to reveal everything
to the loved one — what she or he dreamed about last night, what happened
on the bus today, how a second grade teacher embarrassed him or her.
Erotic lovers may like to wear matching T-shirts,
identical bracelets, matching colors, orde the same foods when dining out,
find out that their blood types are the same; they typically want to be
identified with each other as totally as possible.
Erotic lovers usually report having had a secure
and happy childhood and believe that their parents were happily married.
If erotic lovers do not get jealous it is because
they are rarely apart. There is thorough commitment. An erotic type can
go quite comfortably without falling in love, sometimes for a long time,
but when cupid strikes, it is hard, fast, and total. Breakups are explosive
and painful.
Erotic lovers initiate sex early in their relationship.
It is always perceived as perfect, or becoming so, as indeed are all qualities
of and experiences with the partner.
http://cla.calpoly.edu/~bmori/syll/311syll/Lovetypes.html
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