Loading...
Relationships
Passionate Love Test: How Deep Are Your Feelings (PLS)
Scientific online test to measure the strength of your love (Passionate Love Scale). Discover how intense and deep your feelings are across three components: Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral.
questions
15
Time
5 min
Method
PLS
Rating
4.6
What you'll learn
How intense your passionate love is on a scientific scale
The balance between cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components
How your feelings compare to norms for different relationship types
Personalized recommendations for strengthening your romantic connection
Scientific explanations of the mechanisms behind your feelings
Key facts
1986
Created
15
Questions
3-5 min
Time
Hatfield & Sprecher
Authors
0.91
Reliability α
30+ countries
Used in
History & development
1978
Elaine Hatfield publishes 'A New Look at Love', establishing the conceptual foundations for distinguishing passionate and companionate love
1986
Hatfield and Sprecher create the Passionate Love Scale (PLS) with 30 (full) and 15 (short) items
1993
Large-scale cross-cultural PLS research begins across dozens of countries
2006
Neurobiological studies confirm PLS scores correlate with dopamine center activation in the brain
2015
Meta-analysis of 100+ studies confirms high reliability and validity of PLS
2024
PLS remains one of the most cited instruments in the psychology of romantic relationships
About the methodology
Passionate love is a state of intense longing for union with another person, encompassing cognitive (intrusive thoughts), emotional (strong attraction), and behavioral (actions to maintain closeness) components.
The PLS measures the intensity of these experiences using 15 statements on a 9-point Likert scale.
The methodology has undergone extensive reliability and validity testing (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and is used in cross-cultural research across 30+ countries.
Scientific references
E. Hatfield, S. Sprecher (1986)
E. Hatfield, G. W. Walster (1978)
E. Hatfield, R. L. Rapson (1993)
E. Hatfield, R. L. Rapson (1993)
Frequently asked questions
What does the Passionate Love Scale measure?
The PLS measures the intensity of romantic passion across three components: cognitive (intrusive thoughts about partner), emotional (physical attraction and emotional dependency), and behavioral (actions to maintain closeness). It determines how deep and strong your feelings are for your partner.
Who created the Passionate Love Scale?
The PLS was developed by Professors Elaine Hatfield (University of Hawaii) and Susan Sprecher (Illinois State University) in 1986. Hatfield is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of love.
How accurate is this love test?
The PLS has high reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and validity confirmed by dozens of independent studies. It is used in 30+ countries and shows stable results across cultures.
What does a high PLS score mean?
A high score (7-9) indicates intense passionate love with strong cognitive absorption, emotional attraction, and active pursuit of closeness.
Does a low score mean I don't love my partner?
No. A low PLS score means low intensity of passionate love, not absence of love. Many mature relationships are based on companionate love.
How long does the test take?
The test has 15 statements and takes 3-5 minutes. We recommend answering quickly and intuitively.
Instructions
Think of the person you love most passionately right now. If you are not in love right now, think of the last person you loved passionately. Rate each statement from 1 (Not at all true) to 9 (Definitely true). Answer honestly and intuitively.
Ready to start?
Over 1500 scientifically validated tests. Completely free and no registration required.