Insecure Attachment Patterns and Love Stories vs. Relationship Satisfaction

Dariusz Kuncewicz, Katarzyna Jaśkowska

Abstract


The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between insecure attachment patterns, love stories, and relationship satisfaction. The study involved 96 people (48 heterosexual couples) who have been in a relationship for about 1 year up to 50 years. We measured insecure attachment patterns using K.A. Brennan, C.L. Clark and P.R. Shaver’s Experiences in Close Relationships Scale; love stories – using Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale; relationship satisfaction – with Hendrick’s Relationship Assessment Scale. Correlation analysis showed that in most cases the anxious attachment pattern co-occurred with the story about sacrifice, therapy (from the patient’s perspective) and addiction, while the avoidant attachment pattern – with the mystery and game stories. The avoidant attachment pattern proved to be a negative relationship satisfaction predictor, independent of gender, while the story about addiction turned out to be a positive predictor. Moderation analysis indicated that among women a negative correlation between anxious attachment and relationship satisfaction intensified in the situation when the fairy tale was favored and weakened when the story about a teacher (from the teacher’s perspective), both amusing and mysterious, was preferred. The key results suggest that cultural narratives about love can buffer the negative impact of previously developed attachment scripts on the quality of a relationship.


Keywords


narratives; attachment; love stories; relationship satisfaction

Full Text:

PDF (Język Polski)

References


Baldwin M.W. (1992), Relational schemas and the processing of social information, “Psychological Bulletin”, Vol. 10.

Bowlby J. (1973), Attachment and Loss, Vol. 2: Separation: Anxiety and Anger, New York: Basic Books.

Bowlby J. (1979/2005), The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds, London: Tavistock.

Brennan K.A., Clark C.L., Shaver P.R. (1998), Self-report measurement of adult romantic attachment: An integrative overview, [w:] J.A. Simpson, W.S. Rholes (eds.), Attachment Theory and Close Relationships, New York: Guilford Press.

Collins N.L., Feeney B.C. (2000), A safe haven: An attachment theory perspective on support-seeking and caregiving in adult romantic relationships, “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology”, Vol. 78.

Drożdżowicz L. (2010), Teoria przywiązania w praktyce terapii par, [w:] B. Tryjarska (red.), Bliskość w rodzinie. Więzi w dzieciństwie a zaburzenia w dorosłości, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.

Fraley R.C., Shaver P.R. (2000), Adult romantic attachment: Theoretical developments, emerging controversies, and unanswered questions, “Review of General Psychology”, Vol. 4.

Hazan C., Shaver P. (1987), Romantic Love Conceptualized as an Attachment Process, “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology”, Vol. 52(3).

Hendrick S.S. (1988), A generic measure of relationship satisfaction, “Journal of Marriage and the Family”, Vol. 50.

Mikulincer M., Shaver P.R. (2007), Attachment in Adulthood. Structure, Dynamics, and Change, New York–London: Guilford Press.

Natora M. (2011), Role w związku partnerskim a strategie rozwiązywania konfliktów i satysfakcja ze związku, Warszawa: Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej (niepublikowana praca magisterska).

Oyserman D., Coon H.M., Kemmelmeier M. (2002), Rethinking individualism and collectivism: Evaluation of theoretical assumptions and meta-analyses, “Psychological Bulletin”, Vol. 128(1).

Salvatore G., Dimaggio G.A., Semerari A. (2004), A model of narrative development: Implications for understanding psychopathology and guiding therapy, “Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice”, Vol. 77.

Schafer R.B., Keith P.M. (1980), Equity and Depression Among Married Couples, “Social Psychology Quarterly”, Vol. 43(4).

Shaver P.M., Mikulincer M. (2007), Podejście behawiorystyczne do miłości romantycznej. Systemy: przywiązania, opieki i seksualny, [w:] R.J. Sternberg, K. Weis (red.), Nowa psychologia miłości, Taszów: Biblioteka Moderatora.

Stawska M. (2011), Styl przywiązania i percepcja partnera a satysfakcja ze związku, Bydgoszcz: Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego (niepublikowana praca doktorska).

Sternberg R., Hojjat M., Barnes M.L. (2001), Empirical Tests of Aspects of a Theory of Love as a Story, “European Journal of Personality”, Vol. 15.

Sternberg R.J. (1996), Love stories, “Personal Relationships”, Vol. 3.

Sternberg R.J. (2001), Miłość jest opowieścią, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Rebis.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/j.2018.31.2.313-329
Date of publication: 2018-12-22 08:06:17
Date of submission: 2018-05-30 21:49:20


Statistics


Total abstract view - 2583
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF (Język Polski) - 882

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2018 Dariusz Kuncewicz, Katarzyna Jaśkowska

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.