A Brief Overview of Adult Attachment Theory and Research

Abstract

Research on adult attachment is guided by the assumption that the same motivational system that gives rise to the close emotional bond between parents and their children is responsible for the bond that develops between adults in emotionally intimate relationships. The objective of this essay is to provide people who are new to the field-or people who may simply be interested in learning more about research on adult attachment-a brief overview of the history of adult attachment research, the key theoretical ideas, and a sampling of some of the research findings.