Today You Care, Tomorrow You Don’t: Differential Roles of Responsiveness Variability and Average Responsiveness in Romantic Attachment

2020 ◽  
pp. 194855062094411
Author(s):  
Gul Gunaydin ◽  
Emre Selcuk ◽  
Betul Urganci ◽  
Sumeyra Yalcintas
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Perceived Responsiveness ◽  
Specific Attachment ◽  
Perceived Partner Responsiveness ◽  
Relational Outcomes ◽  
Partner Responsiveness

Past work has shown that perceived responsiveness is a key predictor of relational outcomes. However, this work has focused solely on average levels of responsiveness and never studied the role of responsiveness variability (consistency of responsiveness) in intimate relationships. The present study addressed this gap by investigating the long-held but scarcely tested tenet that responsiveness variability and average responsiveness play differential roles in romantic attachment. New romantic couples ( N = 151) reported partner-specific attachment anxiety and avoidance in six sessions. Every evening during the 3-week period in between the first two sessions, participants reported perceived partner responsiveness, allowing us to assess both average responsiveness and responsiveness variability. Our findings provided the first empirical evidence that responsiveness variability uniquely predicted increases in partner-specific attachment anxiety, whereas average responsiveness uniquely predicted decreases in partner-specific attachment avoidance. Average responsiveness and responsiveness variability continued to predict attachment orientations assessed about half a year later.

Romantic attachment and mate retention behavior: The mediating role of perceived risk of partner infidelity

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 940-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Barbaro ◽  
Yael Sela ◽  
Mohammad Atari ◽  
Todd K. Shackelford ◽  
Virgil Zeigler-Hill
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Perspective ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Mate Retention ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Attachment Dimensions ◽  
Retention Study

Previous research indicates that the romantic attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance are associated with performance frequency of Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting domains of mate retention. The current research aimed to replicate previous findings in a non-Western sample (Iran, Study 1) and to extend this research by investigating the mediating role of perceived risk of partner infidelity (Study 2). Studies 1 and 2 tested the hypotheses that attachment anxiety is positively associated with mate retention and that attachment avoidance is negatively associated with mate retention. Study 2 tested the hypothesis perceived risk of partner infidelity mediate the association between attachment dimensions and mate retention domains. Results of Studies 1 and 2 replicated previous research and also revealed that perceived risk of partner infidelity mediated the association between attachment anxiety, specifically, and mate retention. The current research advances our understanding of romantic attachment from an evolutionary psychological perspective.

scholarly journals Mind the Gap: Perceived Partner Responsiveness as a Bridge between General and Partner-Specific Attachment Security

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7178
Author(s):  
TeKisha M. Rice ◽  
Madoka Kumashiro ◽  
Ximena B. Arriaga
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Secure Attachment ◽  
Specific Attachment ◽  
Perceived Partner Responsiveness ◽  
Core Idea ◽  
Partner Responsiveness ◽  
A Current

A core idea of attachment theory is that security develops when attachment figures are responsive to a person’s connection needs. Individuals may be more or less secure in different relationships. We hypothesized that individuals who perceive a current relationship partner as being responsive to their needs will feel more secure in that specific relationship, and that the benefits of perceived partner responsiveness would be more pronounced for individuals who generally feel insecure. The current study included 472 individuals (236 couples) in romantic relationships. Consistent with our predictions, individuals who perceived more responsiveness from their partner displayed lower partner-specific attachment anxiety and partner-specific avoidance, especially when they were generally insecure. These findings are discussed in terms of the conditions that promote secure attachment bonds.

Romantic attachment and support preferences in new mothers: The moderating role of stress

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752199043
Author(s):  
Saul McLeod ◽  
Katherine Berry ◽  
Peter Taylor ◽  
Alison Wearden
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
The Moment ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Relationship

In the present research, we examined whether attachment anxiety and avoidance in support recipients were related to preferences for specific types of support. In addition, we examined whether stress moderated the relationship between attachment and support needs. Two-hundred and forty-five first-time mothers, currently involved in romantic relationships, participated in study 1, in which support needs and stress were appraised over the previous month using self-reports. High levels of attachment avoidance were related to needing less support, but attachment anxiety was not associated with support needs. There was no hyperactivation or deactivation of the attachment system in response to stress. It is possible that recall bias, associated with cross-sectional methods, may have confounded the results. In study 2, we sought to replicate these hypotheses using an ambulatory method to examine the association between attachment and momentary support needs in the daily life of mothers with babies ( N = 40). Results revealed that attachment anxiety was associated with a preference for high levels of momentary support, but attachment avoidance was not related to any support needs. Stress experienced in the moment was found to moderate the relationships between attachment and support needs, with mothers high in anxiety and avoidance needing more support.

scholarly journals How Power Affects Emotional Communication During Relationship Conflicts: The Role of Perceived Partner Responsiveness

2021 ◽  
pp. 194855062199649
Author(s):  
María Alonso-Ferres ◽  
Francesca Righetti ◽  
Inmaculada Valor-Segura ◽  
Francisca Expósito
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Expression ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Emotional Communication ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Emotional Suppression ◽  
Total N ◽  
Emotional Inhibition ◽  
Perceived Partner Responsiveness ◽  
Partner Responsiveness

Prior research indicated that lack of power leads to emotional suppression and low emotional expression during conflicts among strangers. However, little is known about how power affects emotional inhibition in close relationships, where partners are highly interdependent, and achieving one’s goals greatly depends on their partner’s cooperation. In three studies among romantic couples (total N = 994), we examined whether (a) power is related to emotional inhibition during conflicts, (b) perceived partner responsiveness moderates this effect and, (c) which conflict-resolution responses are subsequently enacted. Findings consistently showed that powerless individuals were more likely to inhibit their emotions and consequently to use passive responses during conflicts. However, this only occurred when they perceived lack of responsiveness from their partner. If the partner was perceived as responsive (i.e., showed care, validation, and understanding), power was not related to emotional inhibition and passive resolutions. The importance of partner’s responses in relation to power asymmetry is discussed.

scholarly journals Extending the Study of Gelotophobia, Gelotophilia, and Katagelasticism in Romantic Life Toward Romantic Attachment

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Brauer ◽  
René T. Proyer ◽  
Willibald Ruch
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Using Data

Abstract. Gelotophobia (fear of being laughed at), gelotophilia (joy in being laughed at), and katagelasticism (joy in laughing at others) describe individual differences in how people deal with ridicule and being laughed at. We study their association with romantic attachment styles and romantic outcomes in adults. Study 1 ( N = 247) shows that gelotophobia goes along with higher expressions in attachment anxiety and avoidance. This study also provides support for the notion that gelotophobes demonstrate a lower likelihood of entering romantic relationships (odds ratio = 0.62/0.64 for past/current relationship status). Gelotophilia goes along with lower avoidance and katagelasticism exists independently from romantic attachment. Study 2 replicates the findings in 154 heterosexual romantic couples using Actor–Partner Interdependence Model analyses. However, katagelasticism was related to greater attachment anxiety in this sample of couples. A mini-meta analysis using data from both studies ( N = 555) clarified this association and showed that the joy in laughing at others yields a small positive association with attachment anxiety. Further, attachment styles mediate associations between the dispositions and relationship satisfaction in the couples. Overall, the dispositions are distinctively related with romantic attachment styles and our findings contribute to the understanding of the role of dealing with ridicule and laughter in romantic life.

Exploring Insecure Romantic Attachment and Justifications for the Use of Intimate Partner Psychological Aggression in Couples

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110551
Author(s):  
Marie-Eve Leclerc ◽  
Marie-France Lafontaine ◽  
Audrey Brassard ◽  
Katherine Péloquin
Keyword(s):  
Community Sample ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
And Function

The attachment theory has commonly been used to examine intimate partner psychological aggression (IPPA), but few studies have examined its association with self-reported justifications for one’s own use of IPPA. Behaviors, including the use of IPPA, are influenced, maintained, and function within the context of their justifications, highlighting the importance of investigating these justifications to obtain a clearer picture of IPPA. This study examined whether insecure romantic attachment (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) in both partners of a couple was associated with their justifications for their own use of IPPA. A community sample of 81 mixed-sex couples who reported using IPPA in the last year completed self-reported questionnaires on adult romantic attachment and their justifications for their use of IPPA. Results of a path analysis based on the actor-partner interdependence model revealed moderate positive associations between attachment anxiety and one’s use of internal and external justifications for their IPPA perpetration in men and women. An unexpected dyadic positive association is discussed. These results suggest that the use of justifications for one’s use of IPPA may reflect a strategy of hyperactivation that could contribute to the cycle of psychological aggression. Uncovering the function of these justifications could provide important therapeutic benefits, which are discussed in the study’s implications.

scholarly journals Adult attachment and relationship satisfaction: The mediating role of gratitude toward the partner

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3875-3886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manja Vollmann ◽  
Sem Sprang ◽  
Femke van den Brink
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Couples Therapy ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Previous research indicated that insecure attachment, that is, higher levels of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety, is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. The present study investigated the mediating role of gratitude toward the partner in this association. In a cross-sectional design, 362 participants (84% female, age range 18–70 years) involved in a romantic relationship completed an online questionnaire assessing attachment avoidance and anxiety, gratitude toward the partner, and relationship satisfaction. Data were analyzed by means of regression and bootstrap analyses. The regression analysis revealed significant negative total and direct effects of both avoidance and anxiety on relationship satisfaction. The bootstrap analyses revealed a significant negative indirect effect of avoidance, but not anxiety, on relationship satisfaction via gratitude toward the partner. Specifically, higher levels of avoidant attachment were related to less gratitude toward the partner, which in turn was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that it might be valuable applying gratitude interventions to clients high in attachment avoidance attending couples therapy.

You haven’t been on my mind lately

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moran Mizrahi ◽  
Yaniv Kanat-Maymon ◽  
Gurit E. Birnbaum
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Desire ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Diary Study ◽  
Sexual Fantasies ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Partner Responsiveness ◽  
Over Time

Sexual desire between romantic partners tends to decrease over time. A decrease in frequency of dyadic fantasies and an increase in frequency of extradyadic fantasies are typical manifestations of this process. The present diary study adopted an attachment-theoretical perspective to better understand why some people are less likely to fantasize about their partners. Both members of 100 romantic couples completed measures of relationship-specific insecurities, partner responsiveness, and frequency of sexual fantasies every evening for 42 days. Results showed that attachment insecurities were associated with lower frequency of dyadic fantasies. Partner responsiveness mediated these associations, such that attachment insecurities were associated with perceiving partners as less responsive, which, in turn, predicted lower frequency of dyadic fantasies. Men’s avoidance predicted higher frequency of extradyadic fantasies. These findings demonstrated the role of responsiveness in sustaining desire, suggesting that attachment insecurities bias people to perceive their partner as less responsive, thereby hampering sexual desire.

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