How Is Love Recognised? A Theoretical Model of Love Confirmation Mechanisms in Romantic Relationships

This theoretical study develops a comprehensive model of the Love Confirmation Mechanism (LCM) to explain how individuals in romantic relationships perceive, interpret, and confirm expressions of love. Integrating six foundational psychological theories—Sternberg’s Triangular Theory, Aron’s Self-Expansion Model, Attribution Theory, Emotional Validation Theory, Attachment Theory, and Expectation Confirmation Theory—the model delineates a four-module process: (1) love expression, (2) individual perceptual structure, (3) interpretive attribution, and (4) confirmation judgement and relational outcomes. Special attention is given to gender-based perceptual filters, revealing how men and women may differentially interpret verbal, behavioral, and non-verbal signals of love. This gendered lens underscores the role of expressive alignment in minimizing “confirmation gaps” and enhancing relationship satisfaction. The model has theoretical and practical significance for understanding emotional cognition in intimate dynamics, offering new directions for relationship counseling, communication education, and psychological research.