Longitudinal changes in attachment orientation over a 59-year period.

Abstract

Research on individual differences in attachment-and their links to emotion, cognition, and behavior in close relationships-has proliferated over the last several decades. However, the majority of this research has focused on children and young adults. Little is known about mean-level changes in attachment orientation beyond early life, in part due to a dearth of longitudinal data on attachment across the life span. The current study used a Q-Sort-based measure of attachment to examine mean-level changes in attachment orientation from age 13 to 72 using data from the Block and Block Longitudinal Study, the Intergenerational Studies, and the Radcliffe College Class of 1964 Sample (total N ϭ 628). Multilevel modeling was employed to estimate growth curve trajectories across the combined samples. We found that attachment anxiety declined on average with age, particularly during middle age and older adulthood. Attachment avoidance decreased in a linear fashion across the life span. Being in a relationship predicted lower levels of anxiety and avoidance across adulthood. Men were higher in attachment avoidance at each point in the life span. Taken together, these findings provide much-needed insight into how attachment orientations change over long stretches of time. We conclude with a discussion about the challenges of studying attachment dynamics across the life course and across specific transitions.

Fostering Attachment Security: The Role of Interdependent Situations

“…Being familiar with situations and knowing one’s partner and what to expect from them may also prevent insecure individuals to adopt negatively biased perceptions that may perpetuate their insecurities [ 34 ]. Previous research has shown that attachment insecurity decreases with age [ 8 ], which might partly be explained by the fact that partners come to know each other well over time and become experienced with a broad range of situations together, leaving less room for interpersonal noise [ 39 ] and negative interpretations [ 40 ].…”

“…Such attachment insecurities are linked to several detrimental outcomes for personal and relational well-being [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Luckily, attachment insecurities are not set in stone; attachment tendencies can vary across partners [ 7 ] and change across the life course [ 8 ].…”

Diehard singles: Bachelorhood as a terror management strategy among avoidant men

“…Second, our findings suggest that being in a romantic relationship has a moderating effect on the terror from relationships that avoidant men experience. Whereas some research suggests that being in a committed relationship may actually increase the negative association of attachment insecurities and relationship satisfaction and commitment (Hadden, Smith, & Webster, 2014), many findings support the idea that being in a long-term romantic relationship may contribute to positive changes in context-specific and general levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance (e.g., Arriaga et al, 2014;Chopik et al, 2019;Shaver & Mikulincer, 2008). For instance, during the formation of close relationships, sexual desire and intimacy may reduce attachment insecurities (Mizrahi, Hirschberger, Mikulincer, Szepsenwol, & Birnbaum, 2016).…”

“…Furthermore, being in a close long-term relationship with a responsive and supportive romantic partner may also lead to contextual and global increases in attachment security (e.g., Arriaga, Kumashiro, Finkel, VanderDrift, & Luchies, 2014;Shaver & Mikulincer, 2008). A recent longitudinal study examining changes in attachment orientation over a 59-year period found that being in a relationship predicted lower levels of anxiety and avoidance across adulthood (Chopik, Edelstein, & Grimm, 2019). Avoidant singles may not be able to benefit from close relationships in the same way as others; for them, close relationships may not serve an anxiety-buffering function, and they may prefer to remain alone.…”

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

“…Although the majority of the literature on adult attachment tends to portray individuals as being either chronically anxious or avoidant in their attachment orientations, attachment tendencies can change over time [ 16 ] and individuals can hold multiple different attachment representations [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. People can develop different working models and corresponding attachment orientations about others in general, types of relationships such as friendships and romantic relationships in general, and specific others such as a current partner, friend, or parent.…”