Attachment avoidance and feelings of connection in social interaction

MacDonald, Geoff; Borsook, Terry K.

doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2010.05.019

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, Carvallo and Gabriel (2006) demonstrated that dismissive individuals reported higher mood and self-esteem than secure participants in response to being accepted by others. Similarly, other research has shown that avoidant individuals felt greater connection to a warm and validating confederate than did secure individuals, a feeling that was shared by the confederate herself (MacDonald & Borsook, 2010). Therefore, avoidant individuals can be keenly sensitive to close connection once it is realized.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

Spielmann

Maxwell

MacDonald

et al. 2013

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We examine whether lower expectations for social reward selectively applied to high intimacy contexts may help avoidantly attached individuals minimize distress from reward loss. Studies 1, 2, and 4 demonstrated that avoidant attachment was negatively associated with perceived intimacy potential in relationships involving approach of closeness (current/future partners), but not for relationships less associated with approach of closeness (ex-partners). Studies 3 and 5 manipulated the potential for intimacy among dating prospects. Avoidant attachment was negatively associated with romantic interest in high intimacy targets but not low intimacy targets. This effect was mediated by perceived responsiveness. Studies 4 and 5 rule out perceived dissimilarity to responsive targets as a mechanism. Study 6 demonstrated that avoidants' lower expectations for connection are associated with less anticipated distress from reward loss. These results suggest that avoidant individuals may circumvent attachment system activation by perceiving lower opportunity for connection when there is potential for intimacy.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

Spielmann

Maxwell

MacDonald

et al. 2013

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Participants high in avoidant attachment reported higher levels of positive affect and state self‐esteem in the positive social feedback conditions than in the control conditions. MacDonald and Borsook () extended this line of research by conducting a study in which participants interacted with a research confederate who behaved in a highly positive or a mildly negative manner. Although nonavoidant participants in the positive interaction condition reported stronger feelings of psychological closeness to the confederate than their counterparts in the negative interaction condition, this difference was magnified among avoidant participants.…”

Section: Regulating Closenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, one would expect that the effects of relational positivity among avoidant individuals would be even greater in ongoing romantic relationships. Indeed, MacDonald and Borsook () surmised that “when paired with a relational partner who clearly and consistently signals that proximity seeking is not forbidden and dangerous, but rather welcomed and rewarded, avoidant individuals may exhibit particularly eager pursuit of connection” (p. 1124).…”

Section: Regulating Closenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the benefits of high‐quality relationships and the associations among relationship quality, closeness, and attachment avoidance, the purpose of this research was to investigate whether avoidant individuals who are fortunate enough to perceive themselves to be in a high‐quality relationship may desire greater closeness to their partner than they would otherwise. Specifically, we investigated whether being in a high quality relationship where, as discussed above, both physical and psychological closeness are encouraged and viewed positively (MacDonald & Borsook, ) might counteract avoidant individuals' typical tendency to distance themselves from their partner. We proposed that avoidant individuals who perceive their relationship to be high quality should exhibit a reduced desire to pull away from—or, perhaps, even a desire to draw close to—their partner compared to avoidant individuals who perceive their relationship to be lower quality.…”

Section: Regulating Closenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Relationship quality promotes the desire for closeness among distressed avoidantly attached individuals

Slotter

Luchies

2013

Personal Relationships

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Individuals who experience attachment avoidance tend to desire less closeness in their romantic relationships than others, especially when experiencing distress. However, emerging research suggests that avoidant individuals value social closeness and are more comfortable with it when they perceive that seeking closeness is welcomed. Thus, this research examined the relationship characteristics that might predict avoidant individuals seeking more closeness than they would otherwise. We investigated whether perceiving their relationship to be high quality would predict avoidant individuals desiring more closeness when distressed. We hypothesized that avoidant individuals who perceived their relationship to be high quality would desire greater closeness with their partners when distressed—counteracting their tendency to eschew relational closeness. A study of dating couples supported this hypothesis.

show abstract

“…We reasoned that being ostracized, relative to other conditions, would be likely to trigger attachment-related distress (MacDonald & Borsook, 2010;Yaakobi & Williams, 2016). We analyzed the effect of the manipulation, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance on each ranked and rated perceived importance of relational features, after controlling for relationship quality.…”

Section: Appendixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment insecurity and perceived importance of relational features

Ren

Arriaga

Mahan

2016

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Chronic attachment insecurity can affect the outlook people have on relationships. This research examines how attachment insecurity relates to perceived importance of various features in a romantic relationship (e.g., intimacy, independence). Consistent with predictions, the results from Studies 1-3 (N 1 ¼ 53, N 2 ¼ 226, N 3 ¼ 196) revealed that greater attachment anxiety was associated with ranking intimacy higher in importance and independence lower, whereas attachment avoidance was associated with ranking independence higher, intimacy, and trust lower. Study 4 (N 4 ¼ 175) further showed that insecure participants recognized that some of their priorities are unique to themselves and not shared by others. Additionally, they did not perceive their current relationships as having more of the relational features they prioritized. Insecure individuals thus have unique relational priorities, which may direct their romantic judgments and decisions.

show abstract

Attachment avoidance and feelings of connection in social interaction

Cited by 19 publications

References 8 publications

Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

Relationship quality promotes the desire for closeness among distressed avoidantly attached individuals

Attachment insecurity and perceived importance of relational features

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About