Of Break-Ups and New Beginnings - Subjective Event Perceptions in Adult Attachment Dynamics During Relationship Transitions

Attachment orientations are theorized to change in response to significantinterpersonal life events. However, empirical findings remain mixed. Moreover, the role ofsubjective event perceptions—though emphasized in personality research—has been largelybeen neglected in research on attachment development. In a longitudinal study spanning 7waves over 2.5 years, we examined how romantic relationship transitions—entering or endinga committed relationship—predict changes in attachment anxiety and avoidance, and whetherthese effects are moderated by subjective event perceptions. We analyzed data of N = 1,717participants (69.6% women aged 18-40, M = 26.5 years) who were single (52%) or in apartnership (48%) at the beginning of the study. Using multilevel piecewise modeling, wedistinguished selection, anticipation, and socialization effects. Avoidant individuals were lesslikely to enter new relationships (selection effect), and avoidance declined prior to partnering(anticipation effect). Both anxiety and avoidance shifted in response to transitions(socialization effects): anxiety decreased after partnering and increased after separation, whileavoidance showed a temporary decrease post-separation followed by a gradual increase.These shifts mirrored average differences between partnered and single individuals,suggesting rapid adaptation to new social roles. Subjective perceptions of the events (e.g.,valence, social status decrease, predictability) showed limited moderation effects. Overall,findings underscore the importance of social role transitions in shaping attachment processes,while suggesting that subjective evaluations may have a more nuanced role than previouslyassumed. These results contribute to personality theory by clarifying the contextual andexperiential mechanisms underlying intraindividual change in attachment insecurity.