THE ROLE OF ATTACHMENT STYLE IN THE EXPRESSION OF INTIMACY IN COMMITTED DATING RELATIONSHIPS

75 Pages·2.203 MB·English

by  Saudia

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THE ROLE OF ATTACHMENT STYLE IN THE EXPRESSION OF INTIMACY IN
COMMITTED DATING RELATIONSHIPS
by
Saudia Major
Bachelor of Arts
University of South Carolina, 1997
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
Department of Psychology
University of South Carolina
2003
Major Professor
Committee Member Chairman, Examining Committee/
Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School
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UMI Number 3084800
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Dedication
This contribution to the field of psychology is dedicated to my parents,
Robert and Loretta Major. You instilled in me a thorough sense of self-
confidence, a profound work ethic, and the value of discipline and dedication.
Those precious gifts have made my dreams a reality. From the bottom of my
heart, thank you.
I would also like to dedicate this work to my Aunt Flu. You always knew
exactly what I needed and did all you could to ensure I received it. My greatest
sorrow in life is that you said goodbye before my greatest accomplishment to date
was complete.
ii
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Acknowledgements
The love, support, and strength of many people have made my achievements
possible. All praise is due to God, the creator. Whose merciful presence in my life
makes all impossible things possible. To my parents: I shudder to think of what
would have become of me without the unconditional love, undying devotion, and
unwavering support you have bestowed upon me since birth.
To my older sisters. Patricia. Zainab, Sherema, RahSheba. and my big
brothers, Gwame and Ishmeal, who could not have provided me with a more
supportive family. The wisdom, experiences, laughs, and heartbreaks we've
endured together have molded me into the person I've become. Thank you for
enduring and loving the many phases of Saudia as you watched me mature and
develop over the years. I would like to thank my nieces and nephew s for their
presence in my life. You all inspire and move me in a way that only children can.
Linda, you and your family came into my life at the end of this journey,
embraced me with open arms, and safely guided me home. Your encouragement,
understanding, and patience overwhelm me everyday. To Kim, who endured
graduate school with me from the beginning. Your strength, support, and presence
in my life have been nothing short of phenomenal. Karyn, my "big sis", you took
me under your wings from the moment I met you, and your advice and guidance
over the years have been priceless. Chamarlyn, Chaundrissa. and Shane, thank you
iii
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for your research expertise and assistance. My gratitude is endless and my debt to
you is bottomless. Robin and Mags, thanks for providing me with a shoulder upon
w hich to lean over the years. Thanks to Janice Pimentel, Fey Ming, and Julie
Gross for your statistical savvy.
I would like to thank my advisor, Peter Kilmann, who played a pivotal role
in the initiation of my career. When I came to you for advisement as an
undergraduate, you took one look at my progress to that date and asked "You're
going to graduate school, right?” You provided efficient, timely feedback and often
exceeded the roles of any advisor throughout this final phase of the process. I'd
like to thank my mentor, Herman Salzberg, who coined a nickname that has
followed me over the years. You always believed in me and supported me when
others were filled with doubt. I would like to thank my other committee members,
Tom Cafferty and Reid Montgomery for their expertise, support, and commitment.
The support, generous contributions, and advice of Ms. Doris Davis,
Jerlean Noble, Dr. Ansley Abraham, and the Southern Regional Education Board
absorbed many shocks along this rocky road. Thanks to you all.
I would like to give a special thank you to my colleagues. Dr. Lyon,
Roosevelt Brown, and the personnel department at Florida State Hospital. Thank
you for your patience, encouragement, and generosity throughout this process.
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ABSTRACT
This study used 141 dating couples to examine the effects of partner
attachment pairings on the relationship variables of intimacy, vulnerability
expression, and openness. The overall findings were consistent with the prediction
that secure couple pairings would demonstrate higher degrees of intimacy, more
comfort in disclosing vulnerable information, and greater openness than insecurely
attached couple pairings and mixed (i.e.. secure/insecure) couple pairings. An
experimental measure, designed to elicit vulnerable responses to distressing
scenarios that activate the attachment system, sufficiently distinguished secure and
insecure attachment styles from both typological and dimensional perspectives.
Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.
V
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication....................................................................................................................................ii
Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................iii
Abstract........................................................................................................................................v
Table of Contents......................................................................................................................vii
List of Tables...............................................................................................................................ix
CHAPTERS
I. Introduction..............................................................................................................................1
II. Method...................................................................................................................................10
Participants...................................................................................................................10
Measures.......................................................................................................................11
Procedure......................................................................................................................17
III. Results..................................................................................................................................19
Effect of Partner Attachment Pairings on Intimacy.........................................................20
Effect of Partner Attachment Pairings on
V ulnerability Expression....................................................................................................21
Effect of Partner Attachment Pairings on Openness........................................................22
Effect of Partner Attachment Pairings on Investment......................................................23
Relationship Vignettes.......................................................................................................25
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IV. Discussion 27
References..................................................................................................................................34
Appendix A: Informed Consent.............................................................................................46
Appendix B: ECR-R...............................................................................................................47
Appendix C: Relationship Vignettes.....................................................................................50
Appendix D: Opener Scale.....................................................................................................53
Appendix E: Miller Social Intimacy Scale...........................................................................54
Appendix F: Investment Model Scale.................................................................................56
Appendix G: Demographics..................................................................................................62
Appendix H: Debriefing Form...............................................................................................63
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