Repeated priming of attachment security influences later views of self and relationships

Research shows that priming attachment security results in positive relationship expectations and affect (Rowe & Carnelley, 2003). We examined whether repetitive priming of attachment security (e.g., experimentally activating cognitive representations of attachment security) would have more lasting effects on relationship- and self-views. Participants provided baseline measures at Time 1. On 3 occasions (across 3 days), we primed participants with attachment security or a neutral prime (Times 2-4). Two days later (Time 5), participants completed trait-level measures not preceded by a prime. As expected, those repeatedly primed with attachment security reported more positive relationship expectations, more positive self-views, and less attachment anxiety at Time 5 than at Time 1; those primed with neutral primes showed no change with time. These priming effects last longer than those typically found.