Limerence Test
A confidential self-reflection screener built on Dorothy Tennov's concept of limerence: the involuntary, all-consuming state of infatuation and longing for one person. It looks at intrusive thinking, the craving for reciprocation, and how much your mood rides on their regard. Get an instant, plain-language read and an optional in-depth report to keep or bring to a therapist.
Limerence Test is a free, confidential 15-question self-assessment, educational screener based on Tennov's work. It takes about 5 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 4 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
The signature of limerence, in three parts
Limerence is more than a crush and different from settled love. Drawing on how Dorothy Tennov described it, this screener looks at three threads that tend to appear together when infatuation tips into limerence.
Intrusive longing
How often thoughts of one person take over your mind and how strongly you ache for a sign that the feeling is returned. Tennov called this involuntary, near-constant preoccupation the heart of limerence.
Emotional dependency
How much your mood rises and falls with their attention. In limerence, a single look or message can lift you into elation or drop you into despair, so your inner weather tracks theirs.
Idealization and fear
How much you polish their best qualities and overlook the rest, alongside a running fear of rejection. Together these keep the longing alive and hard to switch off.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Grounded in Tennov's concept of limerence | Loosely | Yes, her described components |
| Separates limerence from love and a crush | Rarely | Yes, explained in your result |
| Covers intrusive thought, longing, and mood swings | Partial | Yes, all three threads |
| Honest about the lack of a validated scale | No | Yes, clearly labeled educational |
| Non-pathologizing, warm interpretation | Often clinical | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–60 in total. Your result falls into one of 4 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | Little sign of limerence | Your answers point to little of the all-consuming quality Tennov described. You may have feelings for someone, but they do not seem to be running the show. |
| 15–29 | Some limerent feelings | Your answers show some of the threads of limerence beginning to weave together, most likely the early, hopeful stage of a strong attraction. |
| 30–44 | Strong limerence | Your answers reflect a strong limerent state: intrusive thinking, a deep craving for reciprocation, and a mood that rides on their signals. |
| 45–60 | Intense limerence | Your answers reflect a very intense limerent state, close to how Tennov described limerence at its fullest: involuntary, absorbing, and difficult to switch off. |
Methodology & sources
The term limerence was coined by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov in her 1979 book Love and Limerence, based on hundreds of interviews and written accounts. She described a recognizable cluster of features: involuntary and intrusive thinking about one person, an intense craving for that feeling to be returned, emotional dependency in which mood swings on the smallest signal, idealization of the person, a fear of rejection, and a longing that resists being switched off. The fifteen statements in this screener are written to reflect those components in plain, everyday language.
There is no validated clinical scale for limerence. This is an educational self-reflection screener based on Tennov's concept, not a diagnostic instrument, and it cannot tell you whether you are in limerence or not. Later work, such as the Wakin-Vo model, has tried to define limerence more precisely as a state that sits between healthy attraction and something more compulsive. We share your total as a range for reflection, keep the language non-pathologizing, and always note that limerence is a normal, if intense, human experience rather than a disorder.
References
- Tennov D. Love and Limerence: The Experience of Being in Love. New York: Stein and Day; 1979.
- Wakin A, Vo DB. Love-variant: The Wakin-Vo I.D.R. model of limerence. Inter-Disciplinary.Net 2nd Global Conference on Persons and Sexuality; 2008.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, August 28). Limerence Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/limerence
Limerence Test FAQ
What is limerence?
Limerence is a term coined by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov in 1979 for an involuntary state of intense romantic infatuation and longing for one person, whom she called the limerent object. It involves near-constant intrusive thinking about them, a powerful craving for the feeling to be returned, and moods that swing with every signal you read into their behavior. It is a normal, if overwhelming, human experience, not a disorder.
How is limerence different from love?
Settled love tends to be steady, reciprocal, and rooted in really knowing another person, and it can sit quietly in the background of your life. Limerence is more restless and one-directional: it feeds on uncertainty, idealizes the other person, and depends on their regard for your sense of wellbeing. Many people feel a limerent phase early in a relationship, and it can either ease into deeper attachment or burn on its own without ever becoming mutual love.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. There is no validated clinical scale for limerence and no diagnosis to give. This is an educational screener for self-reflection, based on how Dorothy Tennov described limerence. It can help you put words to what you are feeling, but only you can decide what it means for your life, and a therapist can help you explore it further.
Is limerence a mental health problem?
Limerence itself is a normal human experience, not a disorder. It becomes worth attention when it causes real distress, takes over your time and attention, or pulls you toward choices that harm you or others. If the longing feels compulsive or is making you miserable, talking with a licensed therapist can help you understand it and regain your footing.
How long does limerence last?
Tennov suggested that limerence can last anywhere from months to a few years, and that its course depends heavily on hope and uncertainty. Reciprocation can settle it into calmer attachment, while sustained doubt can keep it burning. Clear closure, distance, and time also tend to loosen its grip, and support can speed that along when it is causing pain.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server, never stored, and never linked to you. No account is needed.
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