Are Childhood Experiences with Parents Linked to Feelings in Romantic Relationships During Adulthood

Abstract

During the last three decades, attachment theory has been one of the most influential theories of social-emotional development in modern psychology stimulating a great amount of research in the fields of developmental, clinical and social psychology (Hazan & Diamond, 2000; Fraley & Shaver, 2000; Meyer & Pilkonis, 2001; Mikulincer & Florian, 1999). Its contribution rests in the fact that it has provided a broad and deep understanding of personality processes and human development and interactions in childhood and adulthood. Moreover, it has demonstrated that attachment behavior is a major component of the human behavioral equipment throughout life, and that early experience plays a determinative role in the emergence and organization of secure-base behavior (Posada et al., 1999).