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6 Love Styles by John Lee

In 1973 Canadian sociologist John Alan Lee proposed a typology of six love styles: Eros (passion), Ludus (game), Storge (friendship), Pragma (logic), Mania (obsession) and Agape (selflessness). The model has been validated in 20+ countries through the Love Attitudes Scale (Hendrick, 1986). Most people have one or two dominant styles, but the balance shifts across life stages and relationships. Explore all six styles or take the 42-item test to discover your profile.

Find Your Love Style

Eros

Eros

Passionate love: physical attraction, idealization of the partner, all or nothing.

Key phrase: I look into your eyes and forget the world
What hurts most: When passion cools they think love is gone
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Ludus

Ludus

Playful love: flirtation, lightness, multiple partners without commitment.

Key phrase: Love is an adventure and a game
What hurts most: When the partner demands seriousness and promises
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Storge

Storge

Friendship love: closeness through shared interests, slow growth, trust.

Key phrase: The best love starts as friendship
What hurts most: When passion and spontaneity feel missing
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Pragma

Pragma

Practical love: value compatibility, common sense, long-term plan.

Key phrase: Do we fit together for life?
What hurts most: When feelings refuse to fit a rational plan
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Mania

Mania

Obsessive love: jealousy, emotional swings, fear of losing the partner.

Key phrase: I cannot live without you
What hurts most: The slightest cooling from the partner feels catastrophic
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Agape

Agape

Selfless love: unconditional care, altruism, readiness to give.

Key phrase: To love is to give
What hurts most: When they forget their own needs for the partner
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Discover Your Love Style

Take the Love Style Test

Love Styles Distribution

Based on cross-cultural studies by Hendrick and Karandashev

Eros
22%
Storge
21%
Pragma
18%
Agape
16%
Ludus
13%
Mania
10%
Discover your style

Love is not one. It has six colors, and each is a separate language that hearts speak.

John Alan LeeBased on the classic work of John Alan Lee “Colours of Love: An Exploration of the Ways of Loving” - Classic 1973 work, validated in 20+ countries

Frequently Asked Questions

Six main styles: three primary (Eros, Ludus, Storge) and three secondary that result from their mixing (Pragma = Storge + Ludus, Mania = Eros + Ludus, Agape = Eros + Storge).
Yes, and that is the norm. Most people have one or two dominant styles, but the others are present too. The LAS-42 test produces a 6-scale profile, not a single type.
Partially. Young people more often show high Eros and Ludus, while Storge and Pragma grow with age. But the underlying tendency stays: a romantic at 20 rarely becomes a pure pragmatist at 40.
Chapman describes how we express love (words, time, gifts, service, touch). Lee describes what we mean by love (passion, game, friendship, logic, obsession, sacrifice). These are two different dimensions.
No style is universally healthier: each has a strong and a shadow side. Stable relationships are more common in pairs with Eros + Storge or Storge + Pragma balance. But both Agape and Eros can also be the basis of lasting love.
7 to 10 minutes. 42 statements, each requires choosing a degree of agreement on a 5-point Likert scale.
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This article is based on John Alan Lee's theory of love styles (1973) and the Love Attitudes Scale (Hendrick & Hendrick, 1986/1998). Content is prepared by the PrismaTest team with reference to the original research and modern cross-cultural studies.