Attachment and Relationship - To What Extent Does Attachment Styles Influence Romantic Relationships?

Abstract

Attachment is the emotional bond between a human infant or young nonhuman animal and its parent figure or caregiver. A theory related is to attachment theory by John Bowlby posits that early relationships with caregivers lay the foundation for how individuals perceive and engage in later relationships. This paper examines the extent to which attachment patterns established impact various dimensions of relationships in adulthood. According to attachment theory, there are three specific attachment styles: Anxious, avoidant, disorganized and secure. This paper examines the extent to which attachment styles influence the later romantic relationship. Aiming to introduce the reasons of attachment theory and the four styles and analyzes the influence of the four styles on romantic relationship. The other factors that influence romantic relationships are also introduced in this paper.