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Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 32, No. 10, 1375-1388 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167206290339

Automatic Activation of Attachment-Related Goals

Omri Gillath

University of California, Davis

Mario Mikulincer

Bar-Ilan University

Grainne M. Fitzsimons

University of Waterloo

Phillip R. Shaver

Dory A. Schachner

University of California, Davis

John A. Bargh

Yale University

When people encounter threats, their attachment systems are activated and they become motivated to seek protection and support through proximity to their attachment figures. Theoretically, therefore, mental representations of attachment figures should be associated with goals related to attaining proximity and safety. The present studies explore this idea by examining the effects of a person's chronic attachment style and exposure to a particular attachment figure's name on the automatic activation of attachment-related goals. Studies 1 and 2 examine effects of exposure to the name of a security-providing attachment figure on willingness to self-disclose and seek support (two behaviors related to gaining proximity). Study 3 examines how exposure to names of different relationship partners (with whom a participant has felt secure, anxious, or avoidant) affects the mental accessibility of attachment-related goal words. Taken together, the studies support the idea that mental representations of attachment figures are associated with attachment-related goals.

Key Words: attachment style • priming • goals • automaticity


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Pers Soc Psychol Bull, February 1, 2008; 34(2): 171 - 181.
[Abstract] [PDF]