ATTACHMENT STYLE AND PRESENCE OF A ROMANTIC PARTNER AS MODERATORS OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO A STRESSFUL LABORATORY SITUATION

The effects of attachment style and presence of a romantic partner on psychophysiological responses to a stressful laboratory situation were examined in a sample of 34 college women involved in serious dating r elationships. In two separate laboratory sessions. one with romantic p artner present and one with partner absent, participants were led to a nticipate a stressful situation. Heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were recorded during baseline and stress period s in each condition. Significant three-way interactions showed that bo th avoidant and anxious participants in the partner-present condition evinced elevated psychophysiological responses to the stressor (relati ve to baseline), in ccntrast to these groups in thr partner-absent con dition and secure and nonanxious participants in both conditions. Find ings are compared to those of previous research on attachment-style di fferences in proximity-seeking behavior in a similar laboratory situat ion, and they are interpreted in terms of the approach-avoidance confl ict experienced by insecure people when faced with a stressful situati on in the presence of their romantic partners.