One study that used a four - category model of adult attachment (i.e., secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing)(Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) found that
a secure romantic attachment style in adulthood was positively related to a favorable body image, whereas a preoccupied romantic attachment style - characterized by high attachment anxiety but low avoidance - was associated with more body dissatisfaction and dysphoria.
Research has shown that attachment style effects love attitudes, for example, Fricker and Moore (2002) conducted a study with dating couples and revealed that
secure romantic attachment correlated positively with the Agape and Eros love styles whereas the anxious attachment was positively related to the Manic love style.
Not exact matches
A large body of additional research suggests that a child's early
attachment affects the quality of their adult relationships, and a recent longitudinal study of 81 men showed that those who grew up in warm,
secure families were more likely to have
secure attachments with
romantic partners well into their 70s and 80s.
Working from an
attachment perspective, Allie has witnessed the power of deep,
secure attachment relationships, whether in parent - child or
romantic relationship, and the fulfillment that these bonds can bring.
More recently, Sue Johnson, the founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples, added to Bowlby's research by adding that for this
romantic attachment to feel
secure, we need accessible, responsive, and engaged partners.
Secure attachment and material reward both attenuate
romantic jealousy.
We extend this paradigm by testing the buffering effects of
secure attachment and material reward on a specific form of social psychological pain:
romantic jealousy.
Thus,
secure attachment caused people to feel less
romantic jealousy.
Participants were primed with (a)
secure attachment, (b) material reward, or (c) neutral control, and then responded to a hypothetical scenario involving their
romantic partners behaving flirtatiously with a rival.
In addition, persons with an anxious
attachment style (i.e., people who fear being abandoned by their
romantic partners) were more likely to label casual behaviors as cheating than those who are more
secure.
For my dissertation project (published in
Attachment & Human Development), I wanted to study the dreams people have about their romantic partners, and how those dreams relate to secure or insecure attachment.1 My colleagues and I asked a sample of people (mostly young adults) in committed relationships to keep a record of their dreams fo
Attachment & Human Development), I wanted to study the dreams people have about their
romantic partners, and how those dreams relate to
secure or insecure
attachment.1 My colleagues and I asked a sample of people (mostly young adults) in committed relationships to keep a record of their dreams fo
attachment.1 My colleagues and I asked a sample of people (mostly young adults) in committed relationships to keep a record of their dreams for 2 weeks.
For my dissertation project (published in
Attachment & Human Development), I wanted to study the dreams people have about their romantic partners, and how those dreams relate to secure or insecure a
Attachment & Human Development), I wanted to study the dreams people have about their
romantic partners, and how those dreams relate to
secure or insecure
attachmentattachment.
Research has uncovered two categories of
secure attachment: Continuous -
secures and earned -
secures.1 My professor at the time was describing continuously
secure (and / or insecure) individuals who develop an
attachment in their childhood and carry that same
attachment style into their adult
romantic relationships.
The researchers found that the individuals who received the most sensitive care from their mothers at 18 months old also reported the most
secure attachment to friends and
romantic partners in early adulthood.
Reluctance to disclose inner thoughts and feelings, remaining guarded, and having desire for personal control are all signs of avoidant
attachment.1, 2 Research shows that in adolescence and young adulthood, avoidant individuals do not connect as deeply (they have less intimacy and emotional closeness) with friends and
romantic partners as
secure individuals do, and this lack of connection largely results from less self - disclosure.
Attachment style describes the degree to which we perceive our relationships (usually
romantic partnerships) as being
secure, capable of meeting our needs, and a source of comfort in times of distress.
Her earliest research was on
romantic love — the differences between people's intense / compelling («limerent») and
secure / comfortable («
attachment») love experiences.
A large body of additional research suggests that a child's early
attachment affects the quality of their adult relationships, and a recent longitudinal study of 81 men showed that those who grew up in warm,
secure families were more likely to have
secure attachments with
romantic partners well into their 70s and 80s.
Other researchers have since proposed that a similar process occurs within a
romantic relationship, namely, when a partner can consistently reach out for and find love and reassurance from her / his spouse, a
secure bond of
attachment is created.
First, I believe that the fundamental role of commitment in adult
romantic relationships is to
secure attachment for both the adults and their children.
Having a
secure attachment, feeling safe exposing yourself, and being vulnerable is not always easy, especially in a
romantic relationship.
The stages and steps of emotionally focused therapy are outlined below: Emotionally focused therapy can help people address
attachment - related insecurities and learn how to interact with their
romantic partners in more loving, responsive, and emotionally connected ways, which can result in a more
secure attachment.
Adolescents having a
secure attachment with parents are more able to explore the world, negotiate their autonomy and develop appropriate social skills, which are crucial for the initiation and maintenance of close relationships, as well as satisfying interactions with friends and
romantic partners (Ávila et al. 2011; Engels et al. 2001).
Commitment: Functions, formation, and the
securing of
romantic attachment.
It is evident from Table 4 that
romantic inclination is significantly correlated to all the variables with highest coefficients for peer (0.54) and media influence (0.53) followed by
secure attachment and physical attraction at the level of 0.33 and 0.36 respectively.
The interactive adventure portion of the online program was designed to promote attitude change in
attachment security through practice of a
secure romantic relationship with a virtual partner.
Extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, media influence, peer influence,
secure attachment and physical attraction emerged as significant predictors of
romantic inclination in a regression model.
Among the interpersonal factors,
secure attachment and physical attraction significantly predicted
romantic inclination.
Romantic relationship involves trust, intimacy and commitment between the partners and
secure attachment provides the emotional security to this relationship.
In adulthood, a
romantic partner functions as a major source of security and support (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) and therefore becomes an individual's primary
attachment figure who provides a
secure base and safe haven (Shaver & Mikulincer, 2010).
Over time, the individuals with a history of insecure
attachment models become adolescents and adults who are less successful in
romantic, family and other relationships than their peers with
secure models.
Secure attachment builds confidence and positive feelings about partner and provides emotional involvement in a relationship Though secure attachment favors romantic relationship and relationship satisfaction, other styles of attachment too show link to romantic involv
Secure attachment builds confidence and positive feelings about partner and provides emotional involvement in a relationship Though
secure attachment favors romantic relationship and relationship satisfaction, other styles of attachment too show link to romantic involv
secure attachment favors
romantic relationship and relationship satisfaction, other styles of
attachment too show link to
romantic involvement.
Finally, hypothesis four which stated that
secure attachment would be positively associated with
romantic relationship satisfaction, while insecure
attachment would be negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, was supported.
In terms of a current
romantic relationship, those with a
secure attachment style were much more likely to be in a relationship whereas those with an avoidant - fearful style were not.
Participants categorised as
secure in their
attachment style were significantly more likely to be involved in a
romantic relationship (94.2 %)(SR = 2.8).
Since the preeminent work of Hazan and Shaver [12], research concerning the influence of adult
attachment on relationship satisfaction has demonstrated how
secure attachment is positively associated with the quality of
romantic relationships while insecure
attachment is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction [25]- [27].
Hypothesis 4: In terms of current
romantic relationships,
secure adult
attachment styles will be positively associated with relationship satisfaction, while insecure adult
attachment styles will be negatively associated with relationship satisfaction.
The associations between body appreciation, sexual functioning and
romantic attachment underline that specific (elements in) treatment programs can be helpful in building on a positive cycle, in which positive body image, a satisfying sex life, and a
secure bond with the partner can reinforce each other.
Since adult
attachment is strongly based on
attachment experiences earlier in life (e.g., Bowlby, 1969), it might be difficult for young women who were insecurely attached as children and adolescents to use their
romantic partners as a «
secure base.»