Laswell Study

of the different kinds of love/lovers.

Storge (life long friends): their love is characterized by rapport, self-revelation, interdependency, mutual need fulfilment, intimacy, sharing, security, sexual satisfaction and trust.

Agapic (Totally thou centred) forgivingness, caring, patience, supportiveness.

Passion (possessiveness and intense dependency) obsession with the loved one, jealousy, manipulativeness, sexual problems such as vaginismus and premature ejaculation, associated with personal attitudes of low self-esteem and poor self-concept.

Pragma (logical-sensible) pragmatic lovers look at their own and their partner's assets and are out to get the best "deal". They are loyal and faithful as long as there is no ensuing change in those assets. If there is, they are pat to look for another partner. A pragmatic lover assists the loved one to fulfil his or her potentials and maximises his or her own assets before marriage, which is accomplished for practical reasons (as is divorce). They are apt to put off both marriage and divorce until they have accomplished certain goals (finish school, get a different job etc.) and have basic values by which they scale everything they do.

Ludus (self centred game player) plays love like a game - to win. Hates dependency, shires away from commitment, is never possessive or jealous, has only one sexual routine. If partner doesn't care for it, the ludic simply moves on to another partner.

Eros (romantic) Love at first sight. This love regenerates and energises, and is monogamous (often serially). Erotic lovers are intensely aware of physical characteristics of partners. They share intense intimacy, and self revelation and identification. (they love having the same blood-type.) Togetherness is almost constant and early sex is probable. They rarely get jealous because they never look at anyone else, being totally absorbed in each other.

Reprinted from The WOT Position, or Self Actualization from Women. 287 pages, hardback.