ATTACHMENT-STYLE DIFFERENCES IN INTIMACY AND INVOLVEMENT - A TEST OF THE 4-CATEGORY MODEL

This study tested the hypothesis that individuals with different attac hment styles vary in the degree to which they display intimacy and non verbal involvement to their romantic partners. Eighty dyads currently involved in enduring romantic relationships participated in an observa tional study, with one partner from each dyad representing one of Bart holomew's (1990) four attachment styles. A team of coders viewed video tapes of the dyads' conversations and rated the degree of intimacy and involvement exhibited. Preoccupieds and Secures surpassed Dismissives and Fearful Avoidants on measures of trust/receptivity, gaze, facial pleasantness, vocal pleasantness, general interest, and attentiveness. Preoccupieds engaged in more in-depth conversation than Dismissives. Fearful Avoidants sat furthest from their partners and displayed the l east fluency and longest response latencies. Finally, Preoccupieds and Fearful Avoidants were the most vocally anxious. These findings, whic h provide preliminary behavioral validation of Bartholomew's four-cate gory model of attachment, are interpreted in light of the dimensions u nderlying attachment styles and the principle that communication reinf orces mental models of self and others.