Continuing Education for Psychologists

ATTACHMENT IN ADULTHOOD
Structure, Dynamics, and Change, 2nd Edition

Synthesizing a vast body of empirical research and organizing it around a comprehensive conceptual model, this book is recognized as the definitive reference on adult attachment. The authors explain how what began as a theory of child development is now used to conceptualize and study nearly all aspects of social functioning across the lifespan, including mental representations of self and others, emotion regulation, personal goals and strivings, couple relationships, caregiving, sexuality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, and organizational behavior. The origins and measurement of individual differences in adult attachment are examined, as is the question of whether and how attachment patterns can change.

New to This Edition:
• Reflects major advances, including hundreds of new studies.
• Clarifies and extends the authors' influential model of attachment-system functioning.
• Cutting-edge content on genetics and on the neural and hormonal substrates of attachment.
• Increased attention to the interplay among attachment and other behavioral systems, such as caregiving and sexuality.
• Expanded discussion of attachment processes in counseling and psychotherapy.
• Additional coverage of leadership, group dynamics, and religion.

Mario Mikulincer, Ph.D, is Professor of Psychology and Provost of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel. Dr. Mikulincer is a fellow of the American Psychological Society and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Phillip R. Shaver, Ph.D, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Davis. He is a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, and is past president of the International Association for Relationship Research.

"Mikulincer and Shaver provide a wonderfully comprehensive, integrative overview of a rich and broad empirical terrain. The result is a superb second edition that not only gives readers--novices and experts alike--a deeper understanding of attachment 'from the cradle to the grave,' but also suggests where new ideas and research need to head in coming years. The authors highlight several areas of research that have grown considerably since the first edition, such as how attachment theory interfaces with neuroscience, sexuality, caregiving, emotional and behavioral regulation, interpersonal regulation, personal growth, and therapeutic advances."
--Jeffry A. Simpson, PhD, Distinguished University Teaching Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota

"This is just an amazing book. It is beautifully written and provides a rich synthesis of the adult attachment literature. It is extremely comprehensive but at the same time a true pleasure to read. Mikulincer and Shaver are pioneers who both played critical roles in introducing attachment to mainstream psychology and who, in the years since, have made key contributions methodologically and theoretically. In this book, they go well beyond their own work to cover the waterfront. A classic."
--Mary Dozier, PhD, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware

"For more than three decades, attachment theory has been our most intellectually diverse and compelling theory of close relationships. This deeply illuminating volume is a tour de force review of contemporary theory and research. Combining insights from neuroscience, psychopathology, and developmental and social psychology, this beautifully written book offers a cutting-edge update to the first edition. Quite simply, it is indispensable."
--Harry T. Reis, PhD, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester

"This exciting volume is essential reading for those interested in attachment processes. The authors outline the key principles underlying the classic studies of adult attachment; impressively, they also provide a coherent integration of the thousands of studies that have built on this research. Such key topics as emotion regulation, the neurobiology of attachment, couple dynamics, and group processes attest to the breadth and depth of attachment theory and its implications for adults' emotional and relational lives."
--Judith A. Feeney, PhD, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia

"This comprehensive book is exceptionally well written by attachment theory experts. It enhances the reader's understanding of attachment theory and provides a framework for future researchers to use as a guide for scientific pursuits. This is a very useful book for advanced graduate courses focused on adult attachment, such as courses covering personality theories. The appendices with multiple commonly used attachment measures and the chapters on applications of attachment theory in professional practice are extremely helpful for students."
--Stephen L. Wright, PhD, Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Counseling Psychology Program, University of Northern Colorado

"Reading Attachment in Adulthood by Mikulincer and Shaver is like stepping into a classroom with two master teachers and researchers....The number and scope of the studies represented in this book is staggering....For students and teachers, Attachment in Adulthood clearly introduces the history and basic concepts of attachment theory as well as a summary and analysis of a large body of adult attachment research. For scholars and researchers, the presentation of all of this information together in one text is invaluable. For clinicians, this compendium of accessible clinically relevant research benefits clinical assessments, decisions about clinical interventions, and contributes to personal awareness and growth." (on the first edition)
--Clinical Social Work Journal

"Much of the discussion is compelling, and this book could well change the way you read . . . Still, his writing is entertaining and he's tapping into a rich vein, and I hope he will explore the subject further."
--New Scientist