Creating Passionate Love Through Rational Value: A Moderated Mediation Analysis Considering Identification and Relationship Duration

Abstract

This study contributes to insights of the effectiveness of identification on passionate love. But more differentiated in comparison to previous research we show direct effects of the two dimensions of identification, self-reflection and self-enhancement as important influence factors of passionate love. According to Steinberg’s (Psychol Rev 93(2):119–135, 1986) Triangular Theory of Love, love is not only triggered by emotional aspects that are beyond reason. So utilitarian attributes that are more down-to-earth and realistic namely quality value, price value, and uniqueness can be relevant drivers of love. But more important, is their influence constant during the course of a relationship? We detected that the emphasis of these central influence factors differ with rising duration of the relationship. With increasing duration of a relationship the role of self-reflection for the feeling of passion towards the brand becomes more significant. The effect of self-enhancement surprisingly decreases with increasing relationship duration. Regarding the rational antecedents of passionate brand love, we see different effects considering the mediation and moderation analyses.