An Analysis of The Effects Of Labeling Attachment Styles In a Romantic Relationship

Abstract

Over the years, research on attachment styles has given insight to common behavioral characteristics and personality traits for each attachment style. The literature gives insight to how better to manage and make sense of ourselves and by extensions our relationships. Little research in attachment theory has been done involving couples, namely where attachment styles were shared within couples. In addition, no research has been done to see what effects would occur by explicitly informing couples of their attachment styles and making them reflect on it together. This study tested what effects the influence of attachment style labels might have on changes in relational uncertainty and relational maintenance behaviors. It was anticipated that labels would lead to better understanding of how to buffer their partner’s emotions to meet their needs and thus prompt behavioral change, by way of sense making. While this study found that attachment style labels had no statistically significant effects in decreasing relational uncertainty nor in increasing maintenance behaviors, all couples reported a desire to increase usage of relational maintenance behaviors, especially sharing more personal thoughts and feelings with your partner and including their partners in more interactions with family and friends. Keywords: Attachment style, romantic relationships, couples, relational uncertainty, sense making, partner buffering.