{
  "id": 10209974,
  "title": "People with higher autistic traits tend to avoid positive relationship-maintenance tactics",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/people-with-higher-autistic-traits-tend-to-avoid-positive",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-27T12:00:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/people-with-higher-autistic-traits-tend-to-avoid-positive-relationship-maintenance-tactics/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study published in Evolutionary Psychology suggests that people with higher levels of autistic-like traits in the general population tend to avoid positive, affectionate behaviors when trying to maintain romantic relationships. Led by Andrzej Łukasik, a researcher from Poland, the study aimed to explore how these subtle personality traits influence relationship dynamics from an evolutionary perspective.\n\nAutistic-like traits (ALTs) refer to social functioning, communication difficulties, and rigid thinking patterns that can occur in the general population, rather than being considered a disorder. Researchers examined how ALTs impact mate retention tactics, which are behaviors used to keep a partner and prevent them from leaving. These tactics are divided into benefit-provisioning (affection, compliments, support) and cost-inflicting (inducing jealousy, controlling behavior, threats).\n\nThe study found that individuals with higher autistic-like traits reported higher levels of both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. Anxious attachment is characterized by a strong need for closeness, while avoidant attachment involves discomfort with emotional closeness and a preference for independence. The researchers proposed that attachment styles mediate the relationship between ALTs and mate retention tactics.\n\nThe findings indicated that people with higher autistic-like traits were less likely to engage in benefit-provisioning tactics, such as showing affection or giving gifts. However, the initial models suggested a negative link between autistic-like traits and cost-inflicting tactics. After controlling for age, a positive correlation emerged, suggesting that individuals with higher autistic-like traits might use cost-inflicting tactics slightly more often, although age acted as a masking factor for this relationship. Ultimately, the study found that attachment styles, rather than autistic-like traits, played a more significant role in shaping relationship dynamics and mate retention strategies.",
  "summary": "A new study finds that people with higher autistic-like traits tend to avoid using affectionate behaviors to maintain their romantic relationships. The research suggests this distancing is primarily driven by insecure attachment styles.",
  "key_points": [
    "People with higher autistic-like traits avoid positive relationship-maintenance tactics",
    "Higher autistic-like traits linked to anxious and avoidant attachment styles",
    "Cost-inflicting tactics may increase with age for those with autistic-like traits"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}