Research Symposium

BIO

Victoria is a first-year student from central Florida with a love for both the social sciences and the arts, intending to pursue a career in psychology and social psychology research, and also considering additional career paths in art therapy and illustration.

Intentionality, Love Languages, and Relationship Quality

Abstract

Gary Chapman proposed the concept of the five love languages, stating that there are five ways that humans communicate and receive affection within relationships. Chapman says that for the highest relationship satisfaction, the love languages should match or go together in some way, but amidst the few instances of research on the theory, results vary. This study hypothesizes that the congruence or matching of love languages doesn’t especially matter, but that the intentionality behind the actions within the partnership serves as the foundation for the connection that the love languages are proposed to build. Therefore, this qualitative study investigates three main questions: what is intentionality, how does intentionality impact romantic relationships? And what is the relationship between intentionality and the five love languages? Over forty-five undergraduate students at Florida State University were asked nine questions and the results were analyzed through thematic analysis to answer the primary research questions. Intentionality was described to be the purpose behind the actions of an individual and plays a key role in relationship maintenance through the communication of love, willingness, and the desire to develop a relationship further. In this way, the five love languages rely on intentionality to fuel romantic relationship satisfaction.

Keywords: romantic relationships, intentionality, love languages