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Attachment style, affect and construal of interpersonal conflict

University of British Columbia

The relationships between attachment style, negative affect, and attribution were examined. Male undergraduates (n=72) were asked to report on their style in intimate relationships, anger and attributions about negative behavior by an actual girlfriend. Results indicated that those with an Avoidant attachment style tended to be more angry in general temperament than Secure participants, and that their anger was involved with the explanations adopted to account for negative girlfriend behavior. Participants with Anxious attachment resembled both the Secure and Avoidant groups in their trait anger and attribution profiles. Experimental analysis of emotional and cognitive differences in response to audiotapes of three conflicts indicated that anger and anxiety were important in reactions of Avoidant participants. Anxiety was notably absent as part of the Secure participants' reactions. The Anxious group demonstrated anger and anxiety responses to conflict consistent with theoretical predictions. Anger and anxiety responses were predicted from attachment style, trait anger, and attributions. Little evidence was noted for the assumption that attachment styles are activated primarily in the context of intimate relationships.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2008-08-21

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1473

Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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