Attachment and the Expression of Affection in Romantic Relationships: The Mediating Role of Romantic Love

Extant research demonstrates interrelationships among attachment style, love, and affectionate expression, but is less edifying regarding how these constructs work together. Informed by attachment theory (Bowlby, 1980 Bowlby , J. ( 1980 ). Attachment and loss: Vol. 3. Loss, sadness, and depression . New York , NY : Basic Books . [Google Scholar]) and the conceptualization of love as a motivational force (Rempel & Burris, 2005 Rempel , J. K. , & Burris , C. T. ( 2005 ). Let me count the ways: An integrative theory of love and hate . Personal Relationships , 12 , 297 – 313 . doi: 10.1111/j.1350-4126.2005.00116.x [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), the current study posits love as a mediator of the associations among attachment styles and affectionate communication. To examine this claim, 173 individuals in romantic relationships completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. A path model revealed significant indirect effects (with the exception of the secure attachment style), and love mediated the relationships among preoccupied and dismissive attachment styles and affectionate expression. These findings suggest the important motivating capacity of love, an often overlooked predictor of relational processes.