Attachment Theory and Research

Jeffry A. Simpson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Doctoral Minor in Interpersonal Relationships at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on adult attachment processes, human mating, idealization in relationships, empathic accuracy in relationships, social influence in relationships, and how interpersonal experiences earlier in life affect adult health and relationship outcomes. He is a recipient of the Berscheid-Hatfield Award for Midcareer Achievement in the Study of Relationships from the International Association for Relationship Research and of the Carol and Ed Diener Award for Midcareer Achievement in Social Psychology from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Dr. Simpson is the President of the International Association for Relationship Research.W. Steven Rholes, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Psychology at Texas A&M University, where he has served as both department head and associate dean. He has conducted research in social cognition, children’s social development, and adult attachment. In 1992, Dr. Rholes, with Jeffry A. Simpson, published one of the first studies to confirm predictions about avoidant attachment style, using behavioral observations as evidence. For more than 20 years, the impact of attachment styles on emotional support sought and provided by members of romantic couples has been the central focus of his research, with more recent research focusing on couples during the transition to parenthood.

“Nearly a half-century after the publication of the first volume of John Bowlby's landmark trilogy, attachment theory continues to grow in depth and applicability. Simpson and Rholes have assembled an outstanding selection of timely and thought-provoking chapters. This book does much more than review recent work in the field--it sets the agenda for the next generation of attachment theory and research.”--Harry T. Reis, PhD, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester“Simpson and Rholes have gathered a stellar cast of contributors to produce a cutting-edge volume dealing with one of the most vibrant and central domains in psychology. This book is a wonderful interdisciplinary feast for anyone wanting to learn about current directions in attachment theory and how it is being integrated and applied across social and clinical psychology, neuroscience, health psychology, and human sexuality. Bravo!”--Garth Fletcher, PhD, School of Psychology, Victoria University Wellington, New Zealand“A major contribution! What is most noteworthy is that the individual chapters all go well beyond the standard review of the literature. Instead, they break new theoretical ground and chart future directions. The book is ambitious and thoughtful, and brings together many of the top scholars in the field today. It is chock full of creative ways of thinking about the role of attachment in human social functioning, making it destined to be cited for many years to come.”--Joseph P. Allen, PhD, Hugh P. Kelly Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia“This wonderful book is a landmark contribution to what is known about adult attachment. The superb chapters consolidate classic ideas and recent research, while each contributor identifies key directions for future research. This volume is for anyone interested in understanding how deep-seated (in)securities fundamentally shape the way we interpret and respond to what others do over the course of daily interactions in intimate relationships, parent-child contexts, and workplace settings.”--Ximena Arriaga, PhD, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University-The contributors do a great job of providing not just summaries of past research but also roadmaps for future researchers as they strive to understand why people think, feel, and behave as they do. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.--Choice Reviews, 10/1/2015

• Introduction: New Directions and Emerging Themes in Attachment Theory and Research, W. Steven Rholes & Jeffry A. Simpson 1. Early Attachment Experiences and Romantic Functioning: Developmental Pathways, Emerging Issues, and Future Directions, R. Chris Fraley & Glenn I. Roisman 2. The Neuroscience of Attachment: Using New Methods to Answer Old (and New) Questions, Omri Gillath 3. Fooled Around and Fell in Love: The Role of Sex in Adult Romantic Attachment Formation, Vivian Zayas, Sarah Merrill, & Cindy Hazan 4. Stress and Attachment, Lisa M. Diamond 5. Boosting Attachment Security in Adulthood: The "Broaden-and-Build" Effects of Security-Enhancing Mental Representations and Interpersonal Contexts, Mario Mikulincer & Phillip R. Shaver 6. Attachment and Dyadic Regulation Processes, Nickola C. Overall & Edward P. Lemay, Jr. 7. On the Convergence of Sexual Urges and Emotional Bonds: The Interplay of the Sexual and Attachment Systems during Relationship Development, Gurit E. Birnbaum 8. An Attachment Theoretical Perspective on Optimal Dependence in Close Relationships, Brooke C. Feeney, Meredith Van Vleet, & Brittany K. Jakubiak 9. Adult Attachment Style and Parenting, Jason D. Jones, Jude Cassidy, & Phillip R. Shaver 10. Attachment Theory in Organizational Settings, Ramona L. Paetzold 11. Health and Attachment Processes, Paula R. Pietromonaco, Cassandra C. DeVito, Fiona Ge, & Jana Lembke 12. Attachment and Aged Care, Gery C. Karantzas & Jeffry A. Simpson 13. Psychopathology and Attachment, Tsachi Ein-Dor & Guy Doron 14. Attachment-Related Preventive Interventions, Mary Dozier & Caroline Roben 15. Attachment: A Guide to a New Era of Couple Interventions, Susan M. Johnson, Marie-France Lafontaine, & Tracy L. Dalgleish Index