1. Attachment-anxiety and identification with groups:
Strategic shifts in identification in response to attachment related threat
Richard J. Crisp*, Harriet E. S. Rosenthal*, Claire V. Farrow**, Judi Walsh***, Jackie Blissett* & Nicola M. K. Penn*
* University of Birmingham **Keele University ***University of East Anglia
In Experiments 1 and 2, University of Birmingham students were allocated to one of two conditions (control vs. attachment threat). All participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships scale (Brennan, Clark and Shaver, 1998) to measure attachment anxiety, before receiving either the control or attachment threat manipulation. In the control condition participants were asked to imagine they were at a beach, in the attachment-threat condition participants were either asked to imagine uncontrollable separation from their attachment figure (Experiment 1) or an unresolved argument with their attachment figure (Experiment 2).
Participants were then asked to complete an ingroup identification Likert-type scale to examine their identification with other University of Birmingham students (Experiment 1) or the ingroup as part of the self scale (IOS) to examine their identification with their friendship group (Experiment 2).
Moderated regression (Aiken & West, 1991) revealed the interactive effect of relationship threat and attachment-anxiety on ingroup identification in Experiment 1. People who were lower
Introduction
Given the profound impact of attachment style on adult interpersonal functioning and social relationships (Feeney, 1999; Shaver & Mikulincer, 2002), it is perhaps surprising that little research has focused on the relationship between interpersonal attachment style and group attachment (i.e., ‘identification’ with groups).
Recent work has begun to synthesize these distinct research foci (e.g., Mikulincer & Shaver, 2001; 2002; Smith, Murphy, & Coates, 1999), suggesting some important unanswered questions regarding how attachment style impacts on an individual’s propensity to identify with groups. We tested a model of the relationship between interpersonal and group attachment, specifying when and how moderating factors interact to determine attachment behavior at collective levels.
In particular, we hypothesized that the way people differ in attachment style determines when and whether they will turn to their social groups (friends, colleagues, sporting clubs, etc.) as additional or alternative sources of security and social support when important attachment relationships are threatened.
Method and Results
in attachment anxiety identified more with the ingroup after threat compared to control. Although there was a trend for people who were higher in attachment anxiety to identify less with the ingroup after threat compared to control, the trend was not significant, see Figure 1. Experiment 2 replicated these results.
In order to explore this trend further, Experiment 3 specifically focused on individuals engaged in a romantic relationship, with the control condition manipulated in order to represent a more negative situation [unpleasant day]. Identification with the friendship group was measured using the IOS. In addition, action tendencies towards the friendship group were measured to establish the extent to which participants felt inclined to approach or avoid their friendship group (talking and spending time with their friends) following the control / attachment-threat condition.
As in Experiment 2, participants lower in attachment anxiety identified more with their friendship group after threat compared to control. The observed trend in the previous experiments reached significance, with participants higher in attachment anxiety identifying less with their friendship group after threat compared to control.
In terms of action tendencies people who were lower in attachment anxiety reported a stronger tendency towards approaching their friendship group after threat compared to control. People who were higher in attachment anxiety reported a lower tendency to want to approach their friendship group after threat compared to control, see Figure 2.
Conclusion
Lower attachment-anxiety tends to elicit higher identification to groups (both university students and friendship groups) and greater approach tendencies towards groups following threat compared to control. In comparison, higher attachment-anxiety tends to elicit lower identification to groups and greater avoidance of groups following threat, compared to control. These findings suggest some intriguing possibilities about identification with groups and attachment to individuals, and support the idea that integration of diverse literatures in group processes, interpersonal attachment, and social identification can enhance our understanding of the nature of social relationships.
Figure 1. Ingroup identification as a function of attachment-
threat and attachment-anxiety (Experiment 1)
Figure 2: Group approach tendencies as a function of attachment-
threat and attachment-anxiety (Experiment 3)