Attachment style and the mental representation of the self

Mario Mikulincer
1995 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology  
Six studies examined the association between attachment style and several aspects of the mental representation of the self in adolescents. Studies 1 and 2 focused on the hedonic tone of the selfstructure, Studies 3 and 4 focused on its complexity, and Studies 5 and 6 focused on discrepancies between domains and standpoints of the self. Results indicated that secure and avoidant persons had a more positive view of themselves than anxious-ambivalent persons. In addition, secure persons were found
more » ... to have a more balanced, complex, and coherent self-structure than insecure persons, either avoidant or anxious-ambivalent. The discussion emphasizes the connection between the internalization of attachment experiences and the construction of the self.
doi:10.1037/0022-3514.69.6.1203 fatcat:tb555z5raze4tplffc5ur365v4