Regulating the Risks of Closeness

To feel secure in romantic relationships, people need to believe that their partners see qualities in them that merit attention, nurturance, and care. This article examines how finding (or failing to find) this sense of security affects three facets of romantic life: (a) the inferences people draw about their partners' regard for them in threatening situations, (b) the inferences people draw about their own value in situations in which they feel rejected, and (c) the kinds of behavioral strategies (whether protective of the self or promotive of the relationship) that people adopt to minimize the likelihood of feeling hurt or rejected again.