Attachment style
How a person regulates closeness and security in relationships: secure, anxious, avoidant, or fearful.
Definition
Attachment theory, developed by Bowlby and Ainsworth and extended to adults by Hazan, Shaver, Bartholomew, and Mikulincer, describes the working model a person uses for intimacy and trust. The four adult styles — secure, anxious-preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant, and fearful-avoidant — predict conflict-repair behavior, response to stress, and partner satisfaction.
Example
An anxious partner paired with an avoidant partner often falls into a pursue-withdraw loop; EQIQs flags this dynamic and surfaces conflict-repair prompts.
How it's measured
- •ECR-R (Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised)
- •AAS (Adult Attachment Scale)
- •Self-report style picker
How EQIQs uses it
Heavily weighted in Romantic and Co-parenting contexts. Materially affects Conflict, Trust, Emotional Regulation, and Repair Behaviors dimensions.
Related terms
Start your free read — question 1 of 6
Something's wrong between you and someone else. What do you actually do?
Your answers stay in your browser. Nothing is saved unless you choose to save it.