The four styles
Two dimensions, four styles
Modern attachment research, following Brennan, Clark and Shaver (1998), measures two dimensions. Attachment anxiety is the fear of being abandoned or not loved enough. Attachment avoidance is discomfort with closeness and depending on others.
Low anxiety and low avoidance is secure. High anxiety and low avoidance is anxious. Low anxiety and high avoidance is avoidant. High on both is fearful-avoidant.
Where attachment styles come from
Attachment theory began with John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, who studied how infants bond with caregivers. Later researchers, including Hazan and Shaver, showed that similar patterns shape adult romantic relationships.
Your style reflects what you learned about closeness and safety, early and later in life. It is an adaptation, not a flaw, and it can change.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 4 attachment styles?
Secure, anxious (preoccupied), avoidant (dismissive) and fearful-avoidant (disorganized). They come from combining two dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance.
Which attachment style is most common?
Secure attachment is usually the most common in adult studies, often around half of participants, followed by avoidant and anxious styles. Fearful-avoidant is the least common.
Can your attachment style change?
Yes. Attachment styles are relatively stable but not fixed. Safe relationships, therapy and self-awareness can move people toward security, which researchers call earned security.
What attachment styles are compatible?
Secure partners tend to do well with anyone willing to communicate. Anxious and avoidant partners often attract each other and fall into a chase-and-retreat cycle, but awareness and effort can change that dynamic.