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Adult attachment and long-term singlehood
Christopher A Pepping1, Geoff MacDonald2
1School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia.
Current Opinion in Psychology
|May 1, 2018
Summary
Attachment theory explains increasing long-term singlehood by categorizing individuals into anxious, avoidant, and secure groups. Understanding these attachment styles is key to exploring diverse life outcomes for single adults.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Increasing rates of singlehood in Western societies present a growing area of research.
- Understanding the psychological underpinnings of long-term singlehood is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine long-term singlehood through the lens of attachment theory.
- To identify and describe distinct subgroups of single individuals based on attachment styles.
- To explore the unique characteristics and potential life outcomes associated with these subgroups.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing attachment theory to conceptualize singlehood.
- Categorizing single individuals into three distinct groups: anxious, avoidant, and secure.
- Analyzing the characteristics and potential life outcomes for each subgroup.
Main Results:
- Identified three primary attachment-based subgroups within the single population: anxious, avoidant, and secure.
- Highlighted unique characteristics and potential life trajectories for each subgroup.
- Acknowledged factors that may moderate the life outcomes of long-term singles.
Conclusions:
- Attachment styles significantly shape the experiences and outcomes of long-term singlehood.
- Further research is needed to fully understand this under-researched population.
- Attachment-based categorization offers a valuable framework for studying single adults.
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