Cited by 1,601Attachment and Relationship DynamicsFamily Dynamics and RelationshipsEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

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Adult Romantic Attachment: Theoretical Developments, Emerging Controversies, and Unanswered Questions

Fraley, R. Chris, Shaver, Phillip R.·2000·Review of General Psychology

DOI 10.1037/1089-2680.4.2.132

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Abstract

The authors review the theory of romantic, or pair-bond, attachment as it was originally formulated by C. Hazan and P. R. Shaver in 1987 and describe how it has evolved over more than a decade. In addition, they discuss 5 issues related to the theory that need further clarification: (a) the nature of attachment relationships, (b) the evolution and function of attachment in adulthood, (c) models of individual differences in attachment, (d) continuity and change in attachment security, and (e) the integration of attachment, sex, and caregiving. In discussing these issues, they provide leads for future research and outline a more complete theory of romantic attachment.

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Lu, S., He, Y., Li, Q., Chen, Z., & Fang, X. (2024) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/02654075241277227 · Cited by 6
“Attachment styles were assessed with a Chinese version of the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R; Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
Systematic review and meta-analysis: do best-evidenced trauma-focused interventions for children and young people with PTSD lead to changes in social and interpersonal domains?
Phillips, A., Halligan, S. L., Bailey, M., Birkeland, M. S., Lavi, I., Meiser‐Stedman, R., Oram, H., Robinson, S., Sharp, T. H., & Hiller, R. M. (2024) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.1080/20008066.2024.2415267 · Cited by 7
Kötődési stílus, kapcsolati és szexuális elégedettség: emlőrákos és egészséges nők összehasonlító vizsgálata
Désfalvi, J., Lakatos, C., Csuka, S. I., Sallay, V., Rosta‐Filep, O., Dank, M., & Martos, T. (2020) · Orvosi Hetilap · doi:10.1556/650.2020.31686 · Cited by 6
The influence of avoidant attachment and perceived support on disclosure about involvement in donor-assisted conception to family and friends
Rodino, I. S., & Sanders, K. A. (2023) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/humrep/dead019 · Cited by 7
“An individual’s attachment style has been viewed as an enduring trait influencing expectations and experiences of people generally across the lifespan including romantic partner support (Ainsworth et al. , 1978; Hazan and Shaver, 1987; Fraley and Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Security-enhancement Processes within Group Settings: Revising Insecure Working Models of Attachment During Playful Group Interactions
Sadka, D. A., Zingboim, N., Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2024) · International Journal of Group Psychotherapy · doi:10.1080/00207284.2024.2314758 · Cited by 6
“…others (inner working models) are formed, and insecure attachment orientations (relatively stable patterns of relational feeling, cognitions, and behavior) are consolidated with detrimental consequences for mental health and interpersonal functioning across the life span (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Hippocampus, amygdala, and insula activation in response to romantic relationship dissolution stimuli: A case-case-control fMRI study on emerging adult students
van der Watt, A. S. J., du Plessis, S., Ahmed-Leitao, F., Roos, A., Lesch, E., & Seedat, S. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.04.059 · Cited by 8
Attachment and Political Personality are Heritable and Distinct Systems, and Both Share Genetics with Interpersonal Trust and Altruism
Kleppestø, T. H., Czajkowski, N. O., Vassend, O. M., Røysamb, E., Eftedal, N. H., Sheehy-Skeffington, J. A., Ystrøm, E., Kunst, J. R., Gjerde, L. C., & Thomsen, L. (2024) · Behavior Genetics · doi:10.1007/s10519-024-10185-y · Cited by 6
“However, what has helped to make attachment theory so influential is the prediction that insecurely attached children will develop working models about relationships that last into adulthood (Fraley and Shaver 2000, 2021; Hazan and Shaver 1987).”
Background
INVESTIGATING INFIDELITY TENDENCY AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT BASED ON ATTACHMENT STYLES AND GENDER
Boğda, D. K., & Şendil, G. (2012) · DergiPark (Istanbul University) · doi:10.17755/esosder.43171 · Cited by 6
“INTRODUCTION The root of the close relationships, that have prominence effects on person’s physical, emotional and social needs, depends on the relation between the attachment system that occurs among caregiver and the baby (Bowlby 1969; Feeney, 1999; Fraley and Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Models of Intimacy of Securely and Avoidantly Attached Young Adults
Dekel, S., & Farber, B. A. (2012) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/nmd.0b013e3182439702 · Cited by 6
“Through mental representations known as ‘‘internal working models’’ (i.e., attachment-mediated scripts of thoughts, feelings, and behavior), continuity in attachment orientation is achieved (Fraley and Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Childhood Abuse and Attachment Styles of Adolescents
Karakuş, Ö. (2017) · Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology · doi:10.25115/ejrep.v10i27.1520 · Cited by 6
Psychologie der Verwandtschaft
Neyer, F. J., & Lang, F. R. (2013) · Psychologische Rundschau · doi:10.1026/0033-3042/a000153 · Cited by 6
Spousal Presence Modulates Salivary α-Amylase Responses to Infant Cry in Mothers With High Attachment Insecurity
Hiraoka, D., Miyasaka, M., & Nomura, M. (2019) · Parenting · doi:10.1080/15295192.2019.1555416 · Cited by 6
“Adult attachment insecurity is classified into attachment-anxiety and attachment-avoidance (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Partner attachment and the development of traumatic and anxious-depressive symptoms among university students
Machado, J., Bruno, J., Rotonda, C., Silès, J., Steinmetz, T., Zambelli, C., Vismara, L., & Tarquinio, C. (2019) · Sexologies · doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2019.08.002 · Cited by 6
Trust in Dating Couples: Attachment Anxiety, Attachment Avoidance, and Perceived Partner Responsiveness
Jesslyn, E., & Dewi, F. I. R. (2020) · Tarumanagara International Conference on the Applications of Social Sciences and Humanities (TICASH) · doi:10.2991/assehr.k.200515.112 · Cited by 7
“Bowlby [19] states that attachment has a large role not only in relationships between baby and caregiver, but also in relationships between adults.”
BackgroundInfluential
Pengaruh dimensi attachment avoidance dan anxiety terhadap kualitas hubungan berpacaran dewasa muda
Angela, I., & Ariela, J. (2021) · Jurnal Psikologi Udayana · doi:10.24843/jpu.2021.v08.i01.p04 · Cited by 11
The Role of Temperament in Mediating the Association between Adolescence Dating Violence and Early Traumatic Experiences
Monteiro, I. F., Ramião, E., Figueiredo, P., & Barroso, R. (2022) · Youth · doi:10.3390/youth2030021 · Cited by 6
“that individual initial dating relationships likely provide a bridge between the attachment patterns established in childhood between individuals and their caregivers and the attachment styles that are expressed in future adult intimate relationships [23].”
Background
How secure and preoccupied attachment relate to offence-specific forgiveness in couples
Körner, R., Schütz, A., & Fincham, F. D. (2022) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104308 · Cited by 8
Measuring Change in Attachment Insecurity Using Short Forms of the ECR-R: Longitudinal Measurement Invariance and Sensitivity to Treatment
Müller, S., Spitzer, C., Flemming, E., Ehrenthal, J. C., Mestel, R., Strauss, B. M., & Lübke, L. (2023) · Journal of Personality Assessment · doi:10.1080/00223891.2023.2238816 · Cited by 5
“Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1973, 1980) and its research traditions aim at explaining individual differences in feeling, thinking, and behaving in close relationships in general, but also in romantic relationships in particular (e.g., Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Pre-event attachment anxiety and avoidance predict posttraumatic stress symptom severity – Results from a longitudinal population-based study
Wittmann, L., Protić, S., Bosmans, M. W. G., & van der Velden, P. G. (2023) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102796 · Cited by 6
Attachment Anxiety and Nomophobia: A Moderated Parallel Mediation Model
Liang, Y. (2024) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/00332941241226907 · Cited by 7
“Attachment anxiety was measured using the revised Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory developed by Fraley and Shaver (2000).”
Sexy and I Know It
Alexopoulos, C., & Timmermans, E. (2021) · Human Communication & Technology · doi:10.17161/hct.v1i2.13687 · Cited by 6
“Anxious attachment is characterized by rejection sensitivity and perceiving a lack of desired closeness with others (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
BackgroundInfluential
Attachment as a Predictor of the Therapeutic Alliance in Couple Therapy
Miller, R. B., Bills, S. A., Kubricht, B. C., Sandberg, J. G., Bean, R. A., & Ketring, S. A. (2015) · American Journal of Family Therapy · doi:10.1080/01926187.2015.1034635 · Cited by 9
“Scholars describe avoidant attachment as the attachment style in which one tends to be uncomfortable with close relationships, therefore distancing oneself from attachment providers as a means of coping (Fraley & Shaver, 2000; Mikulincer & Shaver, 2003).”
Mindfulness as a Factor in the Relationship between Insecure Attachment Style, Neurotic Personality and Disordered Eating Behavior
Pidgeon, A. M., & Grainger, A. (2013) · Open Journal of Medical Psychology · doi:10.4236/ojmp.2013.24b005 · Cited by 6
“Individuals raised with an insecure attachment to their caregivers tend to have greater difficulties regulating emotions, and tend to utilize maladaptive coping strategies such as disordered eating behaviors as a way to regulate emotion [33].”
Background
Factors That Influence the Association Between Adult Attachment and Marital Satisfaction
Hatch, D. L. (2021) · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · doi:10.26076/a859-7346 · Cited by 6
The Brief Attachment Adjective Checklist: A Measure of the Fourfold Definition of the Theory of Attachment
Bowles, T. (2010) · Journal of Relationships Research · doi:10.1375/jrr.1.1.17 · Cited by 6
“26 Journal of Relationships Research about comfort and rejection satisfying the complaint about previous operationalisations (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
BackgroundInfluential
On the bias
Scissors, L. E., & Gergle, D. (2016) · ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) · doi:10.1145/2818048.2820080 · Cited by 6
“[12].”
Friendships and intimacy: Promoting the maintenance and development of relationships in residential neurorehabilitation
Palmer, S., & Herbert, C. M. (2016) · Neurorehabilitation · doi:10.3233/nre-161320 · Cited by 6
“Further work documents links between the early attachment history and relationship quality in adulthood (Fraley & Shaver, 2000) although patterns may be updated and modiﬁed by experiences within adult relationships.”
Obsessive–Compulsive Tendencies, Self/Other Perception, Personality, and Suicidal Ideation in a Non-clinical Sample
Iliceto, P., D’Antuono, L., Cassarà, L., Giacolini, T., Sabatello, U., & Candilera, G. (2016) · Psychiatric Quarterly · doi:10.1007/s11126-016-9457-8 · Cited by 6
“With respect to suicide risk, research showed that adults with less secure Attachment styles are characterized by less self-confidence and higher levels of negative affect, and are more likely to ideate and attempt suicide [58], while recent studies addressed individual differences in SI related to IWM [21, 59].”
Background
Changing Internal Representations of Self and Other: Philosophical Tools for Attachment-informed Psychotherapy With Perpetrators and Victims of Violence
Pârvan, A. (2017) · Philosophy, psychiatry & psychology · doi:10.1353/ppp.2017.0034 · Cited by 6
“…to change: New information is assimilated, accommodated, or distorted to fit these existing schemata, instead of internal models being revised in light of new information and experience (Bowlby, 1979; Tidwell, Reis, & Shaver, 1996; Fraley & Shaver, 2000; Pietromonaco & Feldman Barrett, 2000).”
Background
Low childhood subjective social status and telomere length in adulthood: The role of attachment orientations
Murdock, K. W., Seiler, A., Chirinos, D. A., Garcini, L. M., Acebo, S. L., Cohen, S., & Fagundes, C. P. (2018) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.21601 · Cited by 6
“Moreover, individuals high in attachment avoidance are uncomfortable relying on others for support and utilize “deactivating” emotion regulation strategies that inhibit/ suppress distressing experiences (Brennan et al., 1998; Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
Background
Fluctuations of mentalization in the context of relational stimuli and representational contents
Górska, D. (2018) · Current Issues in Personality Psychology · doi:10.5114/cipp.2018.80197 · Cited by 6
Forecasting relationship quality of Indonesian newlywed individuals: a quantitative study on the role of attachment
Elizabeth, E., & Ariela, J. (2020) · Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy · doi:10.1080/21507686.2020.1781668 · Cited by 6
Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Maternal Overprotection Regulate Adult Social Expectations on Close Relationships
Bonassi, A., Cataldo, I., Gabrieli, G., Lepri, B., & Esposito, G. (2021) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci11091123 · Cited by 5
“A high score in anxiety 141 explains increased possessiveness, the worry of refusal, and fear of abandonment, whereas a high 142 score in avoidance defines an inclination to withdraw from the close relationship and refrain from 143 intimacy and support [34].”
Background
Parents’ attachment orientation, interviewers’ support, and children’s memory for a mildly distressing event
Chae, Y., Goodman, G. S., Wang, Y., Goodman, M., McWilliams, K., Shaver, P. R., Thompson, R. A., & Widaman, K. F. (2021) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2021.1988644 · Cited by 6
“For the ECR, adult attachment orientations are described in terms of two relatively independent dimensions first characterised by Ainsworth et al. (1978), attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).”
BackgroundSelf-citation

Authors: Fraley, R. C., & Shaver, P. R.
Affiliations: University of California, Davis (US)
ORCID: Fraley, R. Chris
Shaver, Phillip R.
Venue: Review of General Psychology
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2000-06
Volume: 4
Issue: 2
Pages: 132-154
ISSN: 1089-2680 (ISSN-L)
1939-1552
DOI: 10.1037/1089-2680.4.2.132
OpenAlex: W2142842143
Cited by: 1,601
References: 138
Citations by year: 2026: 46 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 76 · 2023: 84 · 2022: 118 · 2021: 68 · 2020: 83 · 2019: 80 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 91 · 2015: 80 · 2014: 82 · 2013: 89 · 2012: 70
FWCI: 20.81
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Review of General Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords: romantic attachment, attachment theory, adult attachment, attachment security, caregiving

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Adult Romantic Attachment: Theoretical Developments, Emerging Controversies, and Unanswered Questions

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