SBE/RCUK: Relationship Strategies and the Stability of Interpersonal Security Over Time

SBE/RCUK：关系策略和人际安全感随时间的稳定性

• 批准号: 1531226
• 负责人: Jeffrey Karpicke
• 金额: $ 33.51万
• 依托单位: Purdue University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-01 至 2020-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1531226&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBE; RCUK; Relationship; Strategies; Stability

Strong relationships with close others are important for psychological and physical well-being. However, people differ in how willing and able they are to forge bonds in which they feel secure with others. People who achieve greater security in their close relationships ("attachment security") have better relationship outcomes, are more confident in pursuing personal goals and are better able to handle challenges. Although attachment insecurity is often a chronic condition, it can and does change with new experiences. This project capitalizes on interactions in romantic relationships, which evoke experiences that have powerful effects in regulating a sense of security. This research introduces relationship strategies, such as communication strategies that strengthen trust or confidence and perception exercises that aid in positive reinterpretations of interactions, that could regulate attachment security. This work will therefore shed light on fundamental questions in attachment research and relationship science, such as what are the interpersonal processes that lead to increased attachment security over time? Specifically, the research will test theoretically-derived pathways through which short- and long-term changes in attachment processes could be achieved. The relationship strategies examined in this research target each type of insecurity and are designed to be incorporated in typical couple interactions and daily events. These strategies may also be adopted in non-romantic settings by individuals who have endured negative interpersonal experiences.The primary goal of this project is to identify mechanisms through which insecure relational dynamics may be reduced, and attachment security enhanced, over time. Specifically, the research will test whether communication strategies mediate these processes in the short-term; and, whether changes in mental models (beliefs about the self and others) lead to longer-term shifts in attachment security. In a series of randomized experiments, couples are assigned to strategies to target anxious tendencies or avoidant tendencies. The first aim will test the mediating role that communication strategies play in mitigating anxiety versus avoidance. Such communication may reduce immediate relational tension but may not be sufficient to cause enduring changes in attachment security. The second aim, therefore, involves examining interactions and perceptions that can increase confidence among anxious individuals and increase trust among avoidant individuals. The effect of these security-enhancing strategies, combined with communication that mitigates insecurity, will be examined over an extended time. These relatively minor changes in couples' communication patterns and beliefs are expected to ripple into more profound changes in general attachment security, which benefits relationships and promotes meaningful activities that are fundamental to societal well-being. This proposal is awarded under the SBE-RCUK Lead Agency Agreement.

与亲密的人建立牢固的关系对心理和身体健康都很重要。然而，人们在与他人建立安全关系的意愿和能力方面存在差异。在亲密关系中获得更大安全感（“依恋安全感”）的人有更好的关系结果，在追求个人目标方面更有信心，并且能够更好地应对挑战。虽然依恋不安全感通常是一种慢性疾病，但它可以而且确实会随着新的经历而改变。这个项目利用了浪漫关系中的互动，这些互动唤起了在调节安全感方面具有强大影响的体验。本研究介绍了关系策略，如加强信任或信心的沟通策略和感知练习，有助于积极重新解释的互动，可以调节附件安全。因此，这项工作将阐明依恋研究和关系科学中的基本问题，例如随着时间的推移，导致依恋安全性增加的人际过程是什么？具体来说，这项研究将测试理论推导的途径，通过这些途径可以实现依恋过程的短期和长期变化。本研究中研究的关系策略针对每种类型的不安全感，旨在纳入典型的夫妻互动和日常事件。这些策略也可能被那些经历过消极人际关系体验的人在非浪漫的环境中采用。本项目的主要目标是确定随着时间的推移，通过这些机制，不安全的关系动态可能会减少，依恋安全性会增强。具体来说，该研究将测试沟通策略是否在短期内介导这些过程;以及心理模型（关于自我和他人的信念）的变化是否会导致依恋安全的长期变化。在一系列随机实验中，夫妻被分配到针对焦虑倾向或回避倾向的策略。第一个目标将测试的中介作用，沟通策略在减轻焦虑与回避。这种沟通可能会减少直接的关系紧张，但可能不足以导致持久的变化，附件安全。因此，第二个目标涉及检查可以增加焦虑个体之间的信心和增加回避个体之间的信任的互动和感知。这些加强安全战略的效果，加上减少不安全的通信，将在较长时间内加以审查。夫妻沟通模式和信仰的这些相对较小的变化预计将在一般依恋安全方面涟漪更深刻的变化，这有利于关系并促进对社会福祉至关重要的有意义的活动。该提案是根据SBE-RCUK牵头机构协议授予的。