Partner defection for an attractive alternative represents a threat to romantic relationships. Intimates’ behaviors to combat this threat are likely influenced by their attachment style. Attachment anxiety is characterized by fear of partner defection and thus intimates with relatively more (versus less) attachment anxiety likely perform more frequent mate retention. Conversely, attachment avoidance is characterized by apathy towards partner defection and thus intimates with relatively more (versus less) attachment avoidance likely perform less frequent mate retention. Moreover, given the partner-directed nature of mate-retention behaviors, such behaviors may have implications for intimates’ partners. We examined these possibilities in one cross-sectional study of undergraduates and one 3-year longitudinal study of newlywed couples. Across both studies, intimates with more attachment anxiety performed more frequent cost-inflicting mate-retention behaviors and intimates with more attachment avoidance performed less frequent benefit-provisioning mate-retention behaviors. Study 2 further demonstrated that both facets of intimates’ attachment insecurity were indirectly associated with decreased partner satisfaction over time through intimates’ over-performance of cost-inflicting mate retention and under-performance of benefit-provisioning mate retention. Implications and future directions of research are discussed. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester 2018. / June 27, 2018. / Attachment, Mate Retention, Relationships / Includes bibliographical references. / Andrea L. Meltzer, Professor Directing Thesis; Jon K. Maner, Committee Member; Sara A. Hart, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_650682 |
| Contributors | Altgelt, Emma Elizabeth (author), Meltzer, Andrea L (professor directing thesis), Maner, Jon K. (committee member), Hart, Sara (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Arts and Sciences (degree granting college), Department of Psychology (degree granting departmentdgg) |
| Publisher | Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text, master thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (63 pages), computer, application/pdf |
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