近三十幾年，西方愛情的研究開始發展，並且逐漸受到學者的重視。許多愛情的理論與測量工具紛紛出籠。反觀國內，研究愛情的文獻報告多半借用西方的理論與量表來探討國人的兩性關係或行為。本研究收集一般民眾(lay people)的愛情經驗，透過內容分析，初步呈現臺灣人愛情關係發展的歷程與內涵，並藉以提出兩性輔導的重點與方向。 資料收集以訪問為主，訪問主題:預鉻人自身的經歷為本，說出你自己的愛情故事，並說出自己對所經歷過的愛情，當時的感覺或情緒(emotion)、行為表現(behavior)、以及想法與看法(cognition)是什麼。有效樣本共100位，包括未婚男、女各25名，已婚男、女各25名;其居他地之分佈以中、南部居多，北部及東部佔約29%;年齡層由15歲到51歲，平均約28歲;交往時間長短由4天至15年，已婚者之婚齡為2個月到20年;教育背景由小學至研究所畢業皆有。 研究者與協同分析者細讀分一份逐字稿，根據故事分析(narrative analyzis)原則分別找出反映國人在愛情關係發展的類別，並予以描述和計數。初步分析結果顯示;(1)兩人相識的方法以同學或工作關係居多。(2)國人愛情關係的形成受兩性吸引因素，及個人認知及情緒感受所影響。(3)愛情一旦展開，便同時牽動個人在認知、行為與情緒的變化，而且與對方的知、情、行息息相關，是一種互相依存(interdependent)的關係。(4)愛情關係的結束主要受彼此相待的方式與品質影響;剛婚嫁的決定固然與個人心態和相待品質有關，但家人的干預是反映文化的另一關鍵因素。研究者並就分析結果提出兩性輔導的重點與方向。

This study explored the development of love relationship among Taiwanese people. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 100 subjects, including 25single females, 25 single males, 25 married females, and 25 married males. The content of the interview focused on interviewees’ emotions, cognition, and behavior of love relationship they experienced. Subjects were from different areas of Taiwan. Their education background varied from elementary level to graduate level. Their age range was from 15 to 51 and their love relationship was lasted from 4 days to 15 years. The researcher analyzed the interview reports based on four themes: (1) channels of knowing mates, (2) attractions between couples, (3) the developmental process of love relationship, and (4) reasons for breakup and marriage. The main findings were as follows: First, most people got acquainted with mates through either schoolmate relations or working relations after they graduated. Second individual’s functions of cognition and emotion. Third, romantic love relationship is dynamic and interdependent in the sense that individuals’ cognition, emotion, and behavior changed depending upon their interaction with lovers. Finally, the decision of getting married or breakup was not only related to interpersonal factors, but also influenced by outside forces (e.g., parents’ opinions), which reflected traditional Chinese culture. The implications for counseling Taiwanese heterosexual relationships were discussed.