Question 1

Mary Ainsworth's research extended Bowlby's theory by introducing which key methodological innovation?

Accepted Answer

The Strange Situation procedure. Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure systematically observed how infants reacted to brief separations and reunions with their caregivers, which let researchers categorize attachment behaviors.

Question 2

Researchers Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver were notable for doing what in 1987?

Accepted Answer

Applying attachment theory to adult romantic relationships. Hazan and Shaver published a landmark paper applying attachment theory to adult romantic relationships, sparking decades of research on how childhood patterns echo into love.

Question 3

What does the term 'earned security' refer to in attachment research?

Accepted Answer

Developing secure attachment despite an insecure childhood. Earned security describes people who develop secure functioning as adults even though their early experiences were marked by inconsistency or neglect.

Question 4

Which two dimensions are typically used to map adult attachment in modern research?

Accepted Answer

Anxiety and avoidance. Modern researchers like Brennan, Clark, and Shaver mapped adult attachment along two dimensions: attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance.

Question 5

What does the 'internal working model' refer to in attachment theory?

Accepted Answer

Mental representations of self and others built from early relationships. Bowlby proposed that early relationships create internal working models -- mental templates about whether others are reliable and whether the self is worthy of care.

Question 6

Which approach to couples therapy is most directly grounded in attachment theory?

Accepted Answer

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Emotionally Focused Therapy, developed by Sue Johnson, draws heavily on attachment theory to help couples reorganize emotional bonds.

Question 7

Studies suggest secure attachment in adults is associated with which outcome?

Accepted Answer

Higher relationship satisfaction on average. Across many studies, secure attachment correlates with higher self-reported relationship satisfaction, better conflict recovery, and more supportive friendships.

Question 8

What proportion of adults are estimated to fit a secure attachment pattern in many large studies?

Accepted Answer

Around 50 to 60 percent. Estimates vary by sample, but many studies find around half to roughly 60 percent of adults show predominantly secure patterns, with the rest distributed across insecure styles.

Question 9

Attachment patterns are best understood as:

Accepted Answer

Tendencies that can shift with experience and intentional growth. Researchers describe attachment as a flexible pattern. New relationships, reflection, and supportive experiences can move someone toward greater security over time.

Question 10

Which classic experiment demonstrated that infant monkeys preferred a soft 'mother' over a wire feeding 'mother', supporting attachment theory's emphasis on comfort?

Accepted Answer

Harry Harlow's monkey studies. Harry Harlow's mid-20th century monkey studies showed that infants clung to a cloth-covered surrogate for comfort even when food came from a wire one, helping establish that contact comfort matters as much as feeding.

Attachment Research: Deep Trivia Challenge

More Quizzes Like This

What's Your Attachment Style?

How Much Do You Know About Relationship Psychology?

How Emotionally Available Are You?