Preprint · Jan 2022
Age-Related Development in Attachment Security
By Dugan KA
Research suggests that people’s attachment orientations change as they age (e.g., Chopik & Edelstein, 2014; Hudson et al., 2015). However, a majority of previous studies on this topic have analyzed cross-sectional data. It is challenging to unpack the meaning of age-related patterns revealed through cross-sectional analyses because these patterns can reflect both (1) differences due to development/aging and (2) differences in the cohort or generation in which people were raised. What is needed to address this ambiguity is an age-diverse sample that provides longitudinal data on their attachment orientations. The aim of the present study is to examine age-related growth in attachment security. By analyzing longitudinal data collected from 4,920 adults, we will be able to separate people’s developmental trajectories from potential cohort effects. We will examine people’s general attachment orientations, as well as their relationship-specific attachment orientations to their mothers, fathers, romantic partners, and best friends.