Review of Related Literature
According to Bringle (2013), unrequited (one■sided) love can lead to diminished self-esteem and
feelings of inferiority in the admirer, illustrating the emotional cost of unreciprocated love.
Reference:
Bringle, R. G. (2013). The prevalence and nature of unrequited love. SAGE Open.
https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013492160
Citation:
Bringle (2013) noted ……
Greve (2021) found that individuals with higher levels of humor—and especially those capable of
humorously reframing their situation—maintained better self-esteem and life satisfaction even when
burdened by unreciprocated love.
Reference:
Greve, W. (2021). Humorous coping with unrequited love: Is perspective change a resource? Frontiers
in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.653900
Citation:
Greve (2021) emphasized ……
Narrative accounts of unreciprocated love suggest that would■be lovers often reconstruct their stories
in an effort to rebuild self■esteem, while rejectors may experience guilt or moral discomfort,
highlighting self-esteem processes on both sides of unreciprocated love.
Reference:
Cupach, W. R., & Spitzberg, B. H. (1998). On heartbreak, anger, guilt, scriptlessness, and humiliation.
In Unrequited Love: On Heartbreak… [Research summary].
Citation:
Cupach and Spitzberg (1998) described ……
Kivak (2023) notes that unreciprocated love frequently damages self-esteem, but coping strategies
such as acceptance of rejection, acknowledgment of feelings, and limiting contact can help alleviate
negative outcomes.
Reference:
Kivak, R. (2023). Unreciprocated love | Research Starters. EBSCO Research Starters.
Citation:
Kivak (2023) observed ……
Psychologically, unrequited love is defined as a one■sided emotional experience that is not
reciprocated by the beloved, and is commonly associated with feelings of rejection, lowered self■worth,
and emotional distress.
Reference:
Unrequited love. (2025, August). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unrequited_love
Citation:
According to the Wikipedia entry on unrequited love (2025), ……
