Automatic activation of attachment-related goals.

Full Abstract

When people encounter threats, their attachment systems are activated and they become motivated to seek protection and support through proximity to their attachment figures. Theoretically, therefore, mental representations of attachment figures should be associated with goals related to attaining proximity and safety. The present studies explore this idea by examining the effects of a person's chronic attachment style and exposure to a particular attachment figure's name on the automatic activation of attachment-related goals. Studies 1 and 2 examine effects of exposure to the name of a security-providing attachment figure on willingness to self-disclose and seek support (two behaviors related to gaining proximity). Study 3 examines how exposure to names of different relationship partners (with whom a participant has felt secure, anxious, or avoidant) affects the mental accessibility of attachment-related goal words. Taken together, the studies support the idea that mental representations of attachment figures are associated with attachment-related goals.

Author information

Author/s: Gillath, Omri (O); Mikulincer, Mario (M); Fitzsimons, Grainne M (GM); Shaver, Phillip R (PR); Schachner, Dory A (DA); Bargh, John A (JA);

Affiliation: University of California, Davis, USA.

Grants: R01 MH060767-06 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Oct; vol 32 (issue 10) : pp 1375-88

Dates: Created 2006/09/11; Completed 2007/01/03; Revised 2009/10/19;

PMID: 16963608, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/20/2009, IMS Date: )

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