Testing the canalization hypothesis of attachment theory

Examining within-subject variation in attachment security

Bibliographic Data

ID7887403
AuthorsKeely A Dugan (0000-0002-2512-4160, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), R Chris Fraley (0000-0003-3437-0336, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Omri Gillath (0000-0001-8791-227X, University of Kansas), Pascal R Deboeck (0000-0001-5052-7837, University of Utah)
Year2024
Volume126
Issue3
Pages511-541
Publication date2024-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/pspp0000488
PMID38059981
OpenAlexW4389452961
LanguageEN
Citations received4

5.31; median test-retest interval = 35 days). We modeled participants' within-person fluctuations in partner-specific security as a function of their romantic relationship length. Additionally, we examined whether attachment-related events (e.g., conflict with one's partner) predict greater within-person fluctuations in security among people involved in newer versus more established romantic relationships. Our results suggest that people in newer romantic relationships demonstrated greater fluctuations in partner-specific attachment anxiety-both generally and in reaction to attachment-related events-compared to those in well-established romantic relationships. However, neither of these trends was observed for partner-specific attachment avoidance. These results provide partial support for the canalization hypothesis but also suggest that canalization processes may be more nuanced than previously assumed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

Attachment theory · Context (archaeology) · Developmental psychology · Psychoanalysis · Romance · Subject (documents) · Variation (astronomy) · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology

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