Are there really patterns of attachment? Comment on Fraley and Spieker (2003)

Developmental Psychology
Everett Waters, Theodore P Beauchaine

Abstract

Ainsworth's description of attachment patterns in the Strange Situation is one of the best known and most enduring descriptive insights in developmental psychology. Yet attachment theorists have paid little attention to whether ABC classifications represent a true taxonomy or to mechanisms that might produce truly distinct patterns of attachment. This comment focuses on three questions. Does attachment theory require distinct patterns of attachment? How can taxonomic analysis contribute to an understanding of individual differences in attachment security? And are attachment theorists asking the right questions? The authors conclude that attachment theory is indifferent to the structure (taxonomic or dimensional) of individual differences. Nonetheless, taxonomic search methods can make important contributions to attachment study if research is broadened to include secure base behavior in naturalistic settings.

References

Jun 1, 1979·Journal of Abnormal Psychology·R R Golden, P E Meehl
Jun 11, 1999·BMJ : British Medical Journal·D Haslam
Apr 9, 2002·Journal of Personality Assessment·David R StrongS Thomas Kordinak

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Citations

Jun 29, 2005·Attachment & Human Development·Markus A MaierKlaus E Grossmann
Dec 20, 2007·Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53·Theodore P Beauchaine
Feb 26, 2010·Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53·Guy BosmansRudi De Raedt
Mar 21, 2009·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·Michael RutterEdmund Sonuga-Barke
Apr 2, 2014·Attachment & Human Development·David R PedersonGreg Moran
Apr 26, 2016·Theory, Culture & Society·Robbie DuschinskyJudith Solomon
Nov 20, 2009·Sexual Abuse : a Journal of Research and Treatment·Michael H MinerJason Netland
Sep 30, 2008·Attachment & Human Development·Ora Aviezer, Abraham Sagi-Schwartz
Mar 31, 2017·Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry·Robbie Duschinsky, Judith Solomon
Oct 20, 2020·Development and Psychopathology·K Lee RabyUNKNOWN Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis

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