PSYC 215 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Attachment In Adults, Attachment Theory, Trait Theory

74 views5 pages

Official Note Taker Program

21 Oct 2015

School

Department

Course

Professor

PSYC215–Lecture#13:AttachmentandCloseRelationships



Thecloserelationshipsliteratureexamines

∙Types(ex.Friendship,family,romantic)andstyles(companion,passionate)ofrelationships

∙Attractionandrelationshipinitiation

∙Selfdisclosureandintimacy

∙Satisfactionandcommitment

∙Relationshiptermination



Background

∙Bowlby’sAttachmentTheory(1969)

∙Evolutionhaswiredhumanstoseekclosenessand,thereby,emotionalsecurity

∙Welearnpatternsofcloseness,developing“workingmodels”ofhowbesttoachievecloseness

andemotionalsecurity;toknowhowtogettothatemotionalsecurity

∙Someonewecanrelyonifwearedistressed,inneed



AdultAttachmentTheory

∙Dosimilarattachmentprinciplesapplytoadultcloserelationships?

∙Unclearwhetherpeople’sattachmentpatternsinadulthoodaredirectlyderivedfromtheir

patternsinchildhood

∙Manypeoplebelieve:wewon’tconsiderwhetherthisisbasedonchildhood



AttachmentStyles

∙Secure:easytobecomeemotionallyclosetoothers

∙Anxious(preoccupied):wanttobeintimatewithothersbutfindthatothersarereluctanttoget

close

∙Dismissiveavoidant:comfortablewithoutcloseemotionalrelationships;importanttofeel

independent

∙Fearfulavoidant:uncomfortablegettingclosetoothers;difficulttotrustothers



AdultAttachment

∙Approximatepercentagesinmoststudiesusingathreecategoryapproach:

∙55%secure

∙25%avoidant

∙20%anxious

∙doesattachmentstylecorrelatewithanythinginterestinginadultcloserelationships?



Simpsonetal(1992)

∙Doesattachmentstylerelatetoreactionstostress?

∙Method:

∙Participants:datingcouples

∙Measuredattachmentstylesofeachperson

Unlock document

This preview shows pages 1-2 of the document.
Unlock all 5 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in

∙Toldthewomanthatshewouldbetakingpartin“stressfulactivity”–toldtherewouldbeno

permanenttissuedamage;vagueandthreateningtomakethepersonfeelstressed

∙Thenleftherthereintheroomwiththedatingpartner

∙Couplevideotapedwhiletheywaitedfor5minutes;wouldattachmentstylepredictreaction?

∙Forsecurewomen,themorescaredtheylookedthemorecomforttheysought

∙Foravoidantwomen,themorescaredtheylookedthelesscomforttheysought;notcomfortable

inrelyingonherpartner

∙Foranxiouswomen,theresultswereunclear



Correlatesofsecurepattern(justasillustrations):

∙Highlyinvestedinrelationships;tendstohavelong,trustingones

∙Grievesfollowinglossbutachievesresolution

∙Enjoyssexbutusuallyinthecontextofalongtermrelationships

∙Feelswelllikedbycoworkers

∙Issupportiveofpartnerwhenpartnerisunderstress

∙Selfdisclosesappropriatelyandlikesothertoselfdisclose



Correlatesofavoidantpattern:

∙Lessinvestedinrelationships,expresseslessgrieffollowingloss

∙Hasmoreonnightstands

∙Preferstoworkalone;workisexcusetoavoidcloserelationships

∙Describesparentsascoldandrejecting

∙Withdrawssupportfrompartnerwhenpartnerorselfisstressed

∙Feelsboredanddistantduringsocialinteractions

∙Doesn’tliketoselfdisclose,doesn’tapproveofotherswhodisclose



Correlatesofanxiouspattern:

∙Investedinrelationshipsyethighbreakuprate

∙Grievesintenselyfollowingloss

∙Prefersthecuddlyratherthanthegenitalaspectsofsex

∙Preferstoworkwithothersfeelsunderappreciatedatwork

∙Worriesaboutrejectionduringdailyinteractions

∙Selfdisclosestoomuchandindiscriminately,likesdisclosures

∙Subjecttojealous,unregulatedanger

∙Isattachmentstylebestconsideredapersonalitytrait,developedwhenweareyoungandhighly

consistentthroughoutlife?

∙Baldwinsaysnotlikely:evidencesuggeststhatselfreportedstyleisonlymoderatelystable,

evenoverashortperiodoftime

∙Also,childrenandadultscanoftenhavedifferentstyleswithdifferentsignificantothers(ex.

Mother,father,orromanticpartner)

∙Mightitbeusefultotakeasocialcognitiveapproach,byexaminingattachment“working

models”?

Unlock document

This preview shows pages 1-2 of the document.
Unlock all 5 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in

PSYC 215 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Attachment In Adults, Attachment Theory, Trait Theory

Get OneClass Notes+

YearlyBest Value

Monthly