Attachment styles and social groups: review of a decade

Attachment theory states that the quality of interaction experienced in early childhood with primary caregivers contributes to form trust beliefs in adulthood. Securely attached individuals embrace positive self-esteem and trust others; insecurely attached individuals may lack this sense of confidence in one self (anxiety) or, alternatively, in others (avoidance). Beyond the impact of attachment on a variety of social situations, from romantic to caregiving partnerships, in recent years, attachment theory has been introduced to explain some of the psychological mechanisms involved in group dynamics. The present paper aims to review published studies examining the role of adult attachment in shaping group relations, cognitions, and behaviors. Despite its recency, research on attachment styles and social groups provides a set of convincing results, which are here presented and briefly summarized in the general discussion to suggest future avenues for research, on both group and organizational psychology.