The literature review is organized by measure, examining topics such as relations between childhood experiences and adult attachment status, and adult attachment and adult personality and functioning, parenting and partnership behavior. Studies which explore relations between measures are discussed, before concluding with thoughts about future directions. The system is activated in times of danger, stress, and novelty, and has the outcome of gaining and maintaining proximity to and contact with the attachment figure. T he availability, responsiveness, and active support of the caregiver allows the child to confidently explore the environment under ordinary circumstances, secure in the knowledge that the attachment figure is there should any need arise. T he secure pattern fits the description above in that the infant seeks and receives protection, reassurance, and comfort when stressed.
Confident exploration is optimized because of the support and availability of the caregiver.
To reduce this anxiety, the infant's behavior comes to fit or complement the attachment figure's behavior, in other words, it is adaptive or strategic within that relationship.