Individuals spend most of their lives with people with whom they establish relationships at different characteristics and levels. Some of these relationships are compulsory relationships that involve short or long-term experiences. Some of them are established on a volunteer basis. Relationships that are established voluntarily and last long under normal circumstances are often considered close relationships. Being able to establish successful close relationships is one of the most important sources of happiness and security in many people's lives. According to Sternberg (1986), intimacy includes mutual understanding and communication with the loved individual and being emotionally attached to him/her. Romantic relationships, considered within close relationships, are at the center of individuals' lives. Research shows that people who have high self-confidence and self-perception and develop a positive personality have healthy romantic relationships. At the same time, it is emphasized that healthy romantic relationships significantly affect the well-being levels of individuals.
Whether a close relationship will continue or not is determined by the satisfaction received from that relationship and the effect of attachment to the relationship. Commitment to a relationship can be evaluated as the desire and determination to maintain that relationship. There may be many reasons underlying the desire and determination to continue the relationship, ranging from deep love. One of the most important factors affecting relationship satisfaction is their attitudes towards love. The other is attachment styles. In a study examining the effects of love-related attitudes, relationship beliefs and attachment styles on relationship satisfaction, it was found that love-related attitudes and secure attachment style are the most important determinants of romantic relationship satisfaction. Depending on all these, it affects people's ability to establish healthy and satisfying romantic relationships, the continuity of the relationship, the happiness of the spouses and the healthy development of people in every aspect.
Attachment
Attachment is defined as the strong emotional bond established between the baby and its mother/primary caregiver, which makes the baby feel emotionally safe. This attachment relationship developed in the early years of life also affects the relationships experienced in later periods. adult bond speaking styles; They are grouped as secure, preoccupied, fearful and dismissive. Individuals who have developed a secure attachment relationship tend to perceive themselves as lovable and others as reliable, accessible, supportive and well-intentioned. They easily establish close relationships with others and maintain the relationships they have established. In this respect, secure attachment is a very important factor in terms of relationship satisfaction.
Attitudes Towards Love
One of the important determinants of relationship satisfaction is attitudes towards love. Different approaches have been put forward regarding the concept of love from past to present, various classifications have been determined and various researches have been conducted. The most important of these approaches is Lee's Love Theory. Studies have shown that there is no common definition of the concept of love; Instead, it seems that some types of love are being tried to be separated. Researchers explain this situation based on individual differences, with the view that love means different things to different people.
According to Lee, there are three basic/primary love attitudes: passionate love (eros), playful love (ludus) and friendly love (storge). Their binary combination gives rise to secondary love attitudes: logical love (pragma), friendly love and playful love; possessive love (mania), passionate love and playful love; Altruistic love (agape) is a combination of passionate love and friendly love. According to Lee (1988), we all experience one or more of these types of love in our lives, and the love attitude we prefer may differ from one relationship to another. Considering that there is a positive relationship between secure attachment style and relationship satisfaction in general, more relationship satisfaction can be achieved in passionate love, friendly love and altruistic love types. These types of love are explained as follows.
Passionate Love: Physical attraction, affection, openness to communication, being safe in the relationship, passion and trusting in the relationship. It is a caring type of love.
Altruistic Love: Loving the other person despite their flaws, forgiving, supportive, and considering their goodness more than their own goodness. It is the most famous type of love.
Friendly Love: It arises from a good friendship developed in an intimate relationship, based on similarity, looking after each other and sharing interests, not on passion, where mutual needs are met, friendship is at the forefront. It is a type of love.
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