Insecure attachment is generally associated with which outcome for CL?

• A. Higher CL
• B. Lower CL
• C. No effect
• D. Unknown

Answer: (B)

Attachment style shapes how people approach long-term investment in a relationship, which is captured by commitment level. Insecure attachment—whether anxious or avoidant—tends to undermine willingness to stay with and invest in a partner over time. Anxiously attached individuals often fear abandonment and may scrutinize the relationship, leading to instability and less consistent commitment. Avoidant individuals prize independence and may downplay the importance of staying together, again reducing commitment. Because commitment grows from trust, perceived stability, and the perceived benefits of enduring difficulties for a future together, these insecure patterns generally result in lower commitment. While there can be individual variation, the typical pattern is a lower level of CL associated with insecure attachment; higher commitment aligns more with secure attachment.