What are attachment styles?

Attachment styles are patterns of behavior that individuals exhibit in their relationships with others. These were first identified through a set by Mary Ainsworth called the "strange situation task", which observed the behavior of children when separated and reunited with their caregivers. Based on these observations, individuals generally manifest one of four primary attachment styles:

1. Secure Attachment Style: Individuals display security and comfort in relationships. They handle separations without excessive distress and generally believe that they are worthy of love and that their needs will be met.
2. Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment Style (also known as insecure-ambivalent): Individuals often worry about their relationships, feeling desperate and highly emotional about their attachments. They seek high levels of intimacy which might not be reciprocated.
3. Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style (known as anxious-avoidant in infants): These individuals tend to distance themselves emotionally from their partners. They often appear independent and may suppress their feelings.
4. Fearful-Avoidant Attachment Style (considered as disorganized or disoriented in infants): Individuals with this style desire close relationships but are often hesitant to trust others fully or get too close, potentially due to past traumas or instability in early relationships.

Moreover, attachment styles are dynamic and subject to change across one's lifetime. Relationships, self-awareness, and therapeutic interventions can alter one's attachment style towards a more secure attachment pattern in adulthood 1 2.