Love and Relationships: Applying Sternberg's Theory to 'The Clapper'

This essay provides an analysis of romantic love as depicted in the movie 'The Clapper', using Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love as a framework. The analysis explores how the characters Eddie Krumble and Judy exhibit different combinations of intimacy, passion, and commitment throughout their relationship. Initially, their connection shows compassionate love, evolving into romantic love, but ultimately lacking the balance of all three components necessary for a lasting relationship, especially when Eddie becomes a pop culture figure. The essay also touches on common assumptions about love in pop culture, highlighting the importance of commitment, passion and intimacy for a strong relationship. Desklib offers a variety of resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to aid students in their studies.

Running head: LOVE
Romantic love in pop culture
Name
ID
Course
Unit
Lecturer
Date

LOVE 2
The pop culture piece
The pop culture piece in this assignment is about a romantic movie called the clapper. It
was featured on 26th January 2018. In this movie, an actor by the name Eddi Krumble goes to
Los Angeles and joins professional paid audience member. In the meantime, his best friend Chris
joins him. After a short period of work, Eddie Krumble gets attracted Judy who works at the
Winsome gas station. At this particular time, Judy was dating a man by the name Amanda
Seyfried. However, the romantic love between Eddie and Judy faces a challenge when Eddie
joins pop culture sensation.
Sternberg’s Love Triangle
Sternberg uses three main components to illustrate love. He says that in any romantic
love there exist commitment, passion, and intimacy which defines how the relationship is going
to be at any particular moment according to Askarpour & Mohammadipour, (2016). When using
love triangle, Sternberg says that one can combine two of the above components to come up with
a type of love. For instance, if one combines intimacy and passion, the result of the relationship
would be romantic love.
On the other hand, commitment and intimacy yield a companionate love. However, when
you apply passion and commitment, the product of the relationship is fatuous love. Sometimes
one may utilize all the three components in a given connection. When this happens, the outcome
of the situation is perfect love. The combinations of the three elements yield a happy relationship
ever, which is full of love and the possibility of lasting longer is inevitable. In the above piece of
pop culture, there are few combinations evident in the relationship between Eddy Krumble and
Judy. The first time the love started, it is evident that it was a compassionate love. It combined

LOVE 3
commitment and intimacy. However, as the time goes, it turns to be a romantic love because of
passion and intimacy.
Consequently, the two lovers fail to combine the three components something that then
throws their love in jeopardy. Sternberg says that long-lasting relationship requires the
combination of the three pillars of love. However, at the time Krumble joins pop culture, love is
no longer there. The situation is full of mistrust. Judy does not feel comfortable according to
Sorokowski, Sorokowska, Butovskaya, Karwowski, Groyecka, Wojciszke & Pawłowski, (2017).
The lack of comfortability shows the audience that there is a crucial component that the
relationship is lacking at the moment.
Sternberg classifies various types of love in daily lives. However, it is evident that break
up or divorce cannot be avoided. What fuels a separation in marriage or breakup in any
relationship is the failure to combine the three components of love. At the start of the
relationship, people are always committed to each other. It may be a sign of combining
commitment and passion or intimacy and passion in reference to Modarresi, Zahedian &
Hashemi Mohammad Abad, (2014). For love to grow stronger and last forever, the two people
need to have all the three pillars at any moment. Some relationship is empty, and most often
when one partner finds that there is no commitment or passion, the possibility of walking away is
right on track.
The following are the five common assumptions evident in pop culture according
Sternberg, (2018): -
i. Sexual problems come because of relationship problem
ii. Desire and love always go together

LOVE 4
iii. The sexuality of men is uncomplicated, accelerated biologically instead of relational.
iv. The nature of true love is egalitarian.
v. Lying among couples is inherently challenging.

LOVE 5
References
Askarpour, A., & Mohammadipour, M. (2016). Psychometric properties of Sternberg love
scale. Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 8(4), 2036-2047.
Modarresi, F., Zahedian, H., & Hashemi Mohammad Abad, S. N. (2014). The rate of marital
fidelity and quality of love in divorce applicants with and without marital infidelity
precedent. Armaghane danesh, 19(1), 78-88.
Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Butovskaya, M., Karwowski, M., Groyecka, A., Wojciszke, B.,
& Pawłowski, B. (2017). Love influences reproductive success in humans. Frontiers in
psychology, 8, 1922.
Sternberg, R. J. (2018). The triangle of creativity. The nature of human creativity, 318-334.