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Attachment styles and contingencies of self-worth
Lora E Park1, Jennifer Crocker, Kristin D Mickelson
1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 525 E. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1109, USA. lepark@umich.edu.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|October 7, 2004
Summary
Attachment styles influence how individuals derive self-worth. Secure attachment links self-worth to family support, while preoccupied and fearful styles tie it to physical attractiveness, and dismissing styles reduce reliance on external validation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Attachment theory traditionally examines mean differences in self-esteem across attachment styles.
- Limited research has explored the specific bases of self-worth (contingencies) linked to various attachment styles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between different attachment styles and specific contingencies of self-worth in a college student sample.
- To extend attachment theory by examining how individuals with varying attachment styles ground their self-esteem.
Main Methods:
- Survey research methodology.
- Utilized a sample of 795 college students.
- Assessed participants' attachment styles and their self-reported contingencies of self-worth.
Main Results:
- Attachment security positively correlated with basing self-worth on family support.
- Preoccupied and fearful attachment styles were associated with basing self-worth on physical attractiveness.
- Dismissing attachment style showed a negative association with basing self-worth on others' approval, family support, and divine approval.
Conclusions:
- Attachment styles are differentially related to specific sources of self-worth.
- Findings highlight the nuanced ways attachment influences self-esteem regulation.
- Understanding these links can inform interventions for promoting healthier self-worth development.