n.1. sexual activity between consenting partners in which one partner enjoys inflicting pain (see sexual sadism) and the other enjoys experiencing pain (see sexual masochism). 2. a paraphilia in which a person is both sadistic and masochistic, deriving sexual arousal from both giving and receiving pain. —sadomasochistn.—sadomasochisticadj.
the characteristic way people relate to others in the context of intimate relationships, which is heavily influenced by self-worth and interpersonal trust. Theoretically, the degree of attachment security in adults is related directly to how well they bonded to others as children. Four distinct categories of adult attachment style are typically identified: dismissive attachment, fearful attachment, preoccupied attachment, and secure attachment. Attachment styles with respect to infant–mother relationships were first described by Mary D. Salter Ainsworth and her colleagues, who identified two main styles: secure attachment and insecure attachment, the latter characterized by various patterns (e.g., ambivalent attachment; anxious–avoidant attachment). Different attachment styles in infancy are associated with different psychological outcomes in childhood and later
life.