Attachment Theory Applied to Adult Relationship: Examining Attachment Styles in Partner Relationships

John Bowlby’s theory of attachment addresses the importance of the bonds formed between infants and caregivers. It has been thought that these bonds can be comparable to that of the attachments formed in adult relationships. In other words, in both types of relationships, the person wants to be comforted and protected by the partner (or caregiver), and may protest when there is a change and he or she may become unavailable (Feeney, 1999). Bowlby also said that people build up certain expectations of attachment figures which are used to create an internal working model. This model can then guide people in future relationships and play an important role throughout the lifecycle. 

One of the most common ways to look at attachment in adults is by using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). By using this interview, many researchers have been able to not only investigate attachment in adults individually, but also how this attachment applies to romantic relationships. Feeney (1999) cites several studies finding that the three major attachment styles found in infancy (secure, avoidant, and ambivalent) have also been found in adults. She also describes the work of Bartholomew who defines a four group model of attachment divided into secure and insecure groups. Three of the four groups are considered insecure: the dismissing group, the fearful group, and the preoccupied group. Although the fearful group is not used as frequently in research, this classification system has become another way to examine adult attachment. For example, on the AAI, individuals that are classified as secure show reflective thinking and speaking about parent-child relationships. They can think of specific memories and tend to value early attachment relationships (Fisher & Crondell, 2001).