title: Mapping the intimate relationship mind: comparisons between three models of attachment representations.
abstract: This study compared three models of how attachment working models might be cognitively represented. Model 1 posits that attachment representations consist of a single global working model summarizing attachment across specific relationships and domains. Model 2 proposes three independent working models for the relationship domains of family, platonic friendships, and romantic partners. Model 3 postulates that specific relationship models are nested under relationship domain representations that are, in turn, nested under an overarching global working model. Participants completed standard attachment scales for the relationship domains of family, platonic friendships, and romantic partners and also provided attachment ratings for three specific relationships within each domain. As expected, confirmatory factor analyses showed that Model 3 attained the best fit, regardless of analysis strategy, measurement strategy, gender, and relationship status. Implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. nco18@it.canterbury.ac.nz
authors.forename: Nickola C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Overall
authors.forename: Garth J O
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Myron D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Friesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology