Attachment theory proposes that early relationships with caregivers shape how individuals form attachments in future relationships. There are four main adult attachment styles - secure, preoccupied, fearful and dismissive - which are characterized by one's internal working models of self and others. While attachment styles tend to remain stable due to reinforcement effects, significant life events or relationships can also influence changes in attachment over time.
2. Possible Movies…
500 Days of Summer (2009)
An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe
true love exists, and the young man who falls for her.
Must Love Dogs (2005)
A movie about a pre-school teacher trying to meet a guy after a
divorce.
High Fidelity (2000)
A young music store owner goes through a break up and reviews
the top five relationships in his life (this one is rated R, drop the F
Bomb a lot)
Singles (1992)
A group of twenty-something friends, most of whom live in the
same apartment complex, search for love and success in grunge-
era Seattle.
3. Distinguishing Features of
Children’s Attachment Styles
Secure Avoidant Anxious
Ambivalent
Free to explore
the environment? yes no yes and no
Anxious around
strangers? a little no a lot
Reaction to upset, little
very anxious
separation? then calm reaction
Reaction to little ambivalent
happy
reunion? reaction (relief/anger)
4.
5.
6.
7. Working model continuum
Model Of Self: the degree to which a child
develops an internalized sense of self-worth
that is not dependent on external validation
Model Of Others: the degree to which a child
expects others to be supportive and accepting
(rather than rejecting)
8. Adult Attachment Styles
Positive Model of Others
Secure Preoccupied
(I’m okay, (I’m not okay,
Positive Negative
you’re okay) you’re okay)
Model Model
Of Self Dismissive Fearful of Self
(I’m okay, (I’m not okay,
you’re not okay) you’re not okay)
Negative Model of Others
9. SECURE: The Prosocial
Style
High Self, High other
self-sufficient and comfortable with intimacy
compromise and problem-solving during conflict
highest level of maintenance behavior
tend to be pleasant, self-disclosive, and skilled
communicators
Reinforcement Effect: Because secures are
confident and expressive, people react to them
positively, reinforcing positive models of self and
others
10. PREOCCUPIED: The
Emotional Style
Low Self, High Other
overly involved and dependent
want excessive intimacy and worry that partners
do not care enough for them
demanding, nagging conflict behavior
express negative emotion with aggression or
passive aggression
overly disclosive and overly sensitive
Reinforcement Effect: By clinging to their partners
and escalating intimacy quickly, they push
partners away, thereby reinforcing that they are
unworthy of love
11. FEARFUL: The Hesitant
Style
Low Self, Low other
fearful of intimacy (they have often been hurt in the past and/or
fear rejection)
communication is often passive, guarded, and anxious
trouble expressing emotions and self-disclosing
relatively low levels of maintenance and nonverbal
pleasantness
Reinforcement Effect: By avoiding taking risks, they keep
themselves from developing the kind of close, positive
relationship that will help them feel better about themselves and
others
12. DISMISSIVE: The Detached
Style
High Self, Low other
counterdependent (self-sufficient to the point of pushing
others away)
relationships seen as nonessential; personal goals are a
higher priority
relatively low levels of relational maintenance, disclosure,
and emotional expression
withdrawing conflict style with more interruptions
Reinforcement Effect: By learning to get along on their own,
they reinforce the idea that they do not need other people to
be happy
13. Are our attachment styles stable
over time?
Explanations for Stability
Interactions with caregivers have an especially strong effect on a
person’s social development.
The reinforcement effect
Explanations for Change
Significant life/relationship events
The partner’s attachment style
Variability across relationship types