The effects of nostalgia and avoidant attachment on relationship satisfaction and romantic motives

Bibliographic Data

ID2917536
AuthorsJacob Juhl (0000-0003-4833-8062, North Dakota State University, corresponding author), Elizabeth C Sand (North Dakota State University), Elizabeth Sand (Dakota State University), Clay Routledge (North Dakota State University)
Year2012
Volume29
Issue5
Pages661-670
Publication date2012-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0265407512443433
OpenAlexW2151663276
LanguageEN
Citations received22
References cited16

The current research tested whether attachment-related avoidance interacts with nostalgia to predict individuals' orientation towards romantic relationships. In Study 1, participants were in a relationship, and in Study 2, participants were single. In both studies, attachment-related avoidance and anxiety were measured and participants were assigned to a nostalgia or control induction. Subsequently, participants indicated their relationship satisfaction (Study 1) or desire to pursue a romantic relationship (Study 2). Results revealed that there was a negative relationship between attachment-related avoidance and high levels of relationship satisfaction (Study 1) and relationship desire (Study 2) in the nostalgia condition, but not in the control condition. These findings build upon previous research on attachment and nostalgia to suggest that attachment-related avoidance greatly influences how nostalgia affects romantic relationship-oriented outcomes. Nostalgia appears to orient low avoidant individuals towards relationships and high avoidant individuals away from relationships

Attachment theory · Developmental psychology · Psychoanalysis · Romance · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Nostalgia and Consumer Behavior · Psychology · Social and Cultural Studies · Social Psychology

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