Lecture
Attachment in adulthood - the feeling of affection that occurs in adults in the framework of partnerships.
The first studies in attachment theory were conducted in the 1960s and 1970s in the context of parent-child relationships. Attachment Theory was created by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth [1] developed Attachment Theory, where attachment was viewed as a close, individually directed emotional bond between a child and his mother. It was child-parent relationships that for many years underlay the study of affection. For four decades, John Bowlby's attachment theory has actually changed the developmental psychology [1]. It has been established that the child’s attachment to the mother, forming in infancy, retains its active role and importance throughout the entire life of a person; anyway, attachment has a tremendous impact on interpersonal relationships and all cognitive processes.
In the late 1980s, Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver applied the concepts of attachment theory to adults in romantic relationships. They found that the interaction between partners in romantic relationships is in some way similar to the relationship between children and significant adults [2]. For example, romantic partners in the same way tend to be next to each other, they also feel comfortable when their partner is near, and vice versa, they feel anxious or lonely when he is absent. Romantic relationships are a kind of safe base, a family system that helps to reflect internal and external influences, to adapt to them. These similarities led Hazan and Shaver to an attempt to expand attachment theory and apply it to mature ages and individuals who have romantic relationships, despite the differences between romantic ties and the relationship between a child and a close adult who cares about him. This approach was primarily due to the fact that the basic principles of the theory of attachment relate to both types of relationships.
Researchers tend to describe the basic principles of attachment theory in the light of their own theoretical interests. That is why the descriptions seem completely different on the surface level. Fraule and Shaver describe the main points of attachment in adults as follows:
The characteristics described are somewhat different from the basic tenets of attachment theory that list Rawls and Simpson:
Despite the fact that the described parameters reflect the theoretical views of the researchers who created them, a number of general patterns are found:
Regardless of how the basic principles of attachment theory are described, the key point is that the same principles that act in parent-child relationships also affect attachment in romantic relationships throughout life. The concepts of affection between children and close adults are basically the same as the peculiarities of affection between romantic partners in adulthood.
Hazan and Shaver applied the constructs and methods of the theory of attachment to romantic relationships in adulthood [2]. They attempted to discover the three types of attachment identified earlier in Ainsworth's research. Bartholomew and Horowitz identified two components in the internal working model: the image of others (the idea of the object of affection) and the image of oneself as worthy of the interest of others.
So there are four types of attachment:
A reliable type of attachment in adults corresponds to the same type, highlighted by the classics of the theory of attachment in children. Anxiety type is an analogue of anxiety-ambivalent type in children, anxiety-avoiding in adults - of the same name in children, and the avoidant-rejecting type, similar in meaning to the anxious-avoidant, does not find an unequivocal equivalent in childhood.
People with secure affection (born secure ) are open to their partner, they are not afraid to be loving and sincere with him. Reliable attachment contributes to a positive perception of romantic relationships, high satisfaction in marriage and in relationships; such people are not afraid of emotional closeness and even a certain dependence on a partner.
Reliable attachment in its ontogenesis is associated primarily with the consistency of the behavior of the nearest adult, the richness of its emotional repertoire of reactions, as well as the presence and quality of feedback from the adult.
Anxious type of attachment (eng. Anxious – preoccupied ) is characterized by a desire for a high degree of emotional closeness with a partner. People with such affection are characterized by self-doubt, jealousy; it seems to them that the partner does not want a similar degree of intimacy.
The essence of the problem lies in the fact that increased anxiety creates a desire to get confirmation of feelings from a partner, and this in turn can lead to the emergence of dependence on a partner. According to the model of Bartholomew and Horowitz, such people have their own image negatively colored, so they doubt themselves and worry, especially if their partner is emotionally cold. They can also be emotionally expressive.
Avoidance-rejecting (eng. Dismissive – avoidant ) type of attachment is peculiar to independent people for whom a high degree of intimacy is unacceptable. Most often, they are self-sufficient, since their internal working model is filled with positive content in relation to themselves and negative in relation to others. This is what causes a certain estrangement in romantic relationships. This type of attachment has a protective character, there is a tendency to suppress and conceal their emotions and feelings.
Anxiety-avoiding (eng. Fearful – avoidant ) type of attachment is noted in people who have suffered from sexual violence in earlier stages of life [3]. It is difficult for such people to be loving and open, despite the desire for intimacy. In this case, the desire to move away is dictated by the fear of being rejected, as well as discomfort from emotional intimacy. They not only do not trust their partner and see him in a negative light, but they also do not consider themselves worthy of a partner’s love.
Bowlby said that through interaction with the nearest adult, a system of attitudes is formed, reflecting the feelings and views of the child on the nearest adult and on themselves. Confidence, not only in the availability of an adult, but also in feedback, can be expressed in two variables: whether the nearest adult responds to calls for help or support, and regardless of the answer to the previous question, whether the subject is such a figure attachments, as well as other people, answered him with appropriate behavior. Logically, these variables are independent, but in practice they are related. As a result, the model (image) of the attachment figure and the model of the self develop complementary and mutually supportive [4].
The perception of the nearest adult and the perception of oneself as deserving of his support form the working model of affection. They direct the behavior and allow the child to anticipate the behavior of the nearest adult. Once formed, they are relatively stable. Children rather interpret their behavior in the light of working models, rather than adapt working models to a new experience.
When Hazan and Shaver transferred the child's attachment theory to romantic attachment in maturity, they included the idea of internal working models. The study of internal working models was aimed at two parameters: what kind of thoughts and feelings form them and whether they are stable in time.
Bartholomew and Horowitz believe that the working models consist of 2 parts: the image of oneself and the image of the other. The image of the self can be generally positive or negative, as well as the image of the other. So, they identified four types of attachment.
The image of oneself and the image of others can be associated with such constructs as self-esteem and sociability, respectively. This explains the differences in negative or positive images of oneself and others.
Baldwin and colleagues applied the theory of relational schemes to internal working models of attachment. Relational schemas contain information about how partners typically interact with each other [5] [6]. For each interaction pattern between partners, the relational schema consists of information about yourself, a partner, and a typical interaction between them. It was hypothesized that internal working models consist of relational schemas. The composition of the relational scheme described above is generally consistent with the concept of the internal work model. As evidence of this fact, Baldwin and colleagues created a set of scenarios that describe the interaction associated with trust, dependence, and intimacy [7]. Following each of them, the subjects were presented with two alternatives that reflect the potential response of the partner. So, relational schemas form hierarchies. Each such hierarchy includes both generalized patterns and specific ones related to lower (relative to generalized) levels in the hierarchy.
Researchers note the stability of internal working models based largely on the stability of attachment types, since attachment types reflect attitudes and expectations that drive working models. Thus, changes in the type of attachment mean changes in the working model.
About 70-80% of the population do not experience significant changes in the type of attachment over time [8] [9] [10] [11]. This fact confirms the hypothesis that the working models are stable. The remaining individuals note changes in the type of attachment, which suggests that the internal working models are not stable personality traits.
Waters, Winefield and Hamilton believe that negative life experiences contribute to changes in the type of attachment [12]. This is supported by evidence that significant negative events in life contribute to changes in the type of attachment.
Davila, Kearney and Bradbury identified factors that can cause such changes: significant events or circumstances, changes in relational schemes, personality traits and combinations of the first and last [13].
Characteristics of the relationship between romantic partners in maturity differ. Some couples are more satisfied than others; relations of some last longer than the relations of others; the ability to adapt to external influences in some couples is higher than in others. There is evidence that differences in attachment types affect the quality of romantic relationships, as well as the characteristics of family functioning.
Many studies are aimed at studying the relationship between the type of attachment and satisfaction with relationships [14]. People with a reliable type of attachment are more likely to express greater satisfaction with the relationship than people with an unreliable type. This applies to both relationships in general and sexual relationships.
Despite the already revealed presence of a connection between the type of attachment and subjective satisfaction, it is still not entirely clear what mechanisms affect the attachment to satisfaction.
One of the mechanisms may be the nature of communication and interaction between partners. With a reliable type of attachment, there is more constructive communication, as well as greater intimacy and disclosure to the partner, which affects satisfaction with the relationship. Other mechanisms can be a way to resolve conflicts and support from a partner [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]. Thus, the mechanisms of the effect of attachment style on satisfaction with romantic relationships need to be further explored.
The type of attachment indirectly determines the duration of the relationship. This may be partly due to loyalty to each other [24] [25].
People with a reliable type of attachment are characterized by loyalty, even commitment to relationships. In addition, since people with a reliable type are more satisfied with the relationship, it can also affect the duration of the relationship. However, the relationship of reliable type with the duration of the relationship at the moment can only be considered indirect.
Stable relationships are not only characteristic of people with a reliable type of attachment. Individuals with an anxious type of attachment may also be in a long relationship, but they may experience a lot of negative emotions and experiences. They are often afraid to be abandoned, besides they are characterized by uncertainty in their significance for a partner and in his feelings towards himself.
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Interpersonal relationships
Terms: Interpersonal relationships