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Cutting Gordian Knots: Reducing Prejudice Through Attachment Security.
Muniba Saleem1, Sara Prot2, Mina Cikara3
1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA saleemm@umich.edu.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|September 5, 2015
Summary
Secure attachment primes reduce negative emotions and aggression towards outgroups. These effects are mediated by reduced negative emotions, especially for highly identified individuals.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Attachment Theory
- Intergroup Relations
Background:
- Prior research suggests secure attachment can decrease intergroup biases.
- The specific mechanisms and boundary conditions require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the effects of secure attachment primes on negative emotions and aggressive behaviors towards outgroup members.
- To explore the mediating role of negative emotions and the moderating role of ingroup identification.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted using secure attachment priming.
- Measures included negative outgroup emotions, aggressive behaviors, positive mood, and ingroup identification.
Main Results:
- Secure attachment primes significantly reduced negative emotions towards outgroups.
- These primes also decreased aggressive behavior towards outgroup members.
- Reduced negative emotions fully mediated the effect on aggression, particularly for highly identified individuals.
Conclusions:
- Secure attachment serves as a protective factor against negative intergroup attitudes and behaviors.
- Interventions promoting secure attachment may be valuable for mitigating intergroup conflict.
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