Which statement describes the relationship between secure attachment and CL?

• A. Secure attachment leads to higher CL; insecure attachment leads to lower CL
• B. Secure attachment leads to lower CL; insecure attachment leads to higher CL
• C. Secure attachment leads to no effect on CL; insecure attachment leads to no effect
• D. Secure attachment leads to inconsistent effects on CL

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that secure attachment tends to foster greater closeness in a relationship. When someone is securely attached, they regulate emotions well, trust their partner, and respond with warmth and responsiveness. This creates a safe environment for intimate sharing, support-seeking, and reliable availability, which strengthens feelings of closeness and connectedness.

In contrast, insecure attachment—whether anxious or avoidant—often disrupts that process. Anxiously attached individuals may worry about abandonment and seek excessive reassurance, which can feel smothering or unstable to a partner and reduce perceived closeness. Avoidantly attached individuals may withdraw from emotional sharing or avoid dependence, which also lowers the sense of closeness. Because these patterns undermine consistent, intimate interaction, closeness levels tend to be lower when attachment is insecure.

So, secure attachment is linked with higher closeness, while insecure attachment tends to correspond with lower closeness.