Attachment Styles
A typology of how people relate in close relationships: secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized.
Origin
John Bowlby developed attachment theory in the 1950s and 60s, studying how infants bond with caregivers. Mary Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation' experiments in the 1970s identified the styles empirically. In the 2010s, therapists and dating writers retooled the framework for adult romantic relationships, and it exploded in popular use.
Modern usage
Standard vocabulary in dating discourse. 'He's avoidant', 'I have an anxious attachment'. The pop-psych use is looser than the academic theory, but the broad strokes hold up.
Tags
Related
Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Gary Chapman's framework: five ways people prefer to give and receive affection.
Love & Relationships
Ghosting
Ending a relationship by disappearing without explanation.
Love & Relationships
Red Flag
A warning sign that a person or situation is going to end badly.