Implicit security: A social cognitive model and assessment of attachment security in romantic relationships

Theoretical perspectives of the attachment system emphasize the situation-contingent nature of its operations. The present investigation sought to model these dynamic components through the use of situational descriptions of relationship-related events and challenges. After several stages of scenario development, participants in Study 1 (n = 148) were asked how they would respond to a series of situations and the relevant responses were then matched to a prototype of the securely attached relationship partner, resulting in implicit security index (ISI) scores. Participants who obtained higher scores were more satisfied with their relationships and reported lesser disagreement with their partners. Such findings were bolstered by Study 2, which showed that participants (n = 174) with higher ISI scores had romantic partners (n = 174) who were more satisfied and involved with them. Altogether, the findings provide support for a novel way of thinking about, and assessing, individual differences in attachment security.