Attachment is characterized by behaviors that emphasize emotional and physical closeness, seeking comfort, and reliance on a partner for security and exploration.

Examples:

• Monitoring and maintaining emotional and physical closeness with a loved one.
• Reaching out for comfort when feeling unsure, upset, or down.
• Missing the person when apart.
• Counting on the person to be there for support and security when facing challenges or exploring new opportunities.

Where does this idea come from?

• Attachment theory
• Behavioral psychology in relationships

What's similar to this idea?

• Maternal Attachment theoryMaternal Attachment theoryThe quality of early connections to loved ones, especially maternal figures, plays a critical role in shaping personality, emotional regulation, and habitual ways of connecting with others. Examples: * Children with warmer, more responsive mothers tend to develop better self-regulation and emotional stability. * Children with colder, dismissive, or unpredictable mothers may become detached, angry, or struggle with emotional regulation. * Infant primates separated from their mothers grow into
• Romantic love is all about attachment and emotional bondingRomantic love is all about attachment and emotional bondingRomantic love is driven by the innate need for safe emotional connections and reliable emotional comfort, deeply rooted in human evolution and attachment theory. Where does this idea come from? * Attachment theory * Evolutionary psychology What's similar to this idea? * Maternal Attachment theory * The human need for emotional safety * Connection as a survival mechanism What's opposite of this idea? * Healthy love relationships are just rational bargains * Relationships between Adults wit
• Adult attachment dynamicsAdult attachment dynamicsThe emotional bonds adults form with their partners are shaped by the same attachment needs observed in children, influencing behavior, self-perception, and relationship quality. Examples: * Adults, like children, seek attachment to feel secure and supported, as demonstrated by Bowlby’s studies of World War II widows. * Securely attached individuals are better at giving and receiving support, forgiving partners, and maintaining a positive self-image even when acknowledging their flaws. * When

What's opposite of this idea?

• Relationships between Adults with "Controlled Emotions"Relationships between Adults with "Controlled Emotions"The notion that emotions in relationships should be suppressed or controlled, with dependency on others seen as a sign of weakness or dysfunction. Examples: * Viewing emotional dependence in relationships as unhealthy, labeling individuals as “enmeshed” or “codependent.” * Advocating for self-sufficiency and emotional restraint as key to maintaining healthy adult relationships. * Therapists encouraging individuals to avoid emotional reliance on their partners. Where does this idea come from?
• Dependency as dysfunctionDependency as dysfunctionThe belief that healthy adults should be self-sufficient and that emotional dependency on others is a sign of weakness or dysfunction. Examples: * Emotional reliance in marriages was often labeled as "codependency" or "enmeshment," suggesting that such behavior was harmful to relationships. * Cultural and psychological views historically emphasized self-sufficiency, portraying emotional dependency as a flaw that led to failed marriages. * Terms like "fused" or "merged" were used to stigmatize
• Healthy love relationships are just rational bargainsHealthy love relationships are just rational bargainsThe perspective that love relationships are based on maximizing benefits and minimizing costs, treating relationships as transactional exchanges. Where does this idea come from? * Behavioral psychology * Economic theories of human relationships What's similar to this idea? * Tit-for-tat approach * Transactional relationships * Rational decision-making in partnerships “To some cold-blooded observers, love is a mutually beneficial alliance based on trading favors, a give-get bargain.” What'

Where does this idea lead to?

• Adult attachment dynamicsAdult attachment dynamicsThe emotional bonds adults form with their partners are shaped by the same attachment needs observed in children, influencing behavior, self-perception, and relationship quality. Examples: * Adults, like children, seek attachment to feel secure and supported, as demonstrated by Bowlby’s studies of World War II widows. * Securely attached individuals are better at giving and receiving support, forgiving partners, and maintaining a positive self-image even when acknowledging their flaws. * When
• Romantic love is all about attachment and emotional bondingRomantic love is all about attachment and emotional bondingRomantic love is driven by the innate need for safe emotional connections and reliable emotional comfort, deeply rooted in human evolution and attachment theory. Where does this idea come from? * Attachment theory * Evolutionary psychology What's similar to this idea? * Maternal Attachment theory * The human need for emotional safety * Connection as a survival mechanism What's opposite of this idea? * Healthy love relationships are just rational bargains * Relationships between Adults wit

Status: #idea
Tags: relationships, attachment, emotional bonding, closeness, dependency

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References

Hold Me Tight by Dr Sue Johnson > Part One: A New Light on Love