Attachment in a cultural framework

Abstract

The present study examined the indigenous behavioral expressions of attachment security. In the Turkish culture, attachment security was expected to be associated deference, obedience and respect (structural hierarchy/proper demeanor) along with emotional interdependence, empathy and receptivity (symbiosis reciprocity/positive engagement) instead of encouragement of autonomy. An expanding self construal was expected to moderate the relationship between attachment security and its behavioral expressions. 116 female and 94 male Bogaziçi University undergraduate students filled out the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment Short Form (IPPA), Expanding Self Scale and Personal Style Inventory (PSI) (Autonomy and Sociotropy subscales) along with Structural Hierarchy/Proper Demeanor and Symbiosis Reciprocity/Positive Engagement Scales developed by the researcher. Correlational analyses revealed that as attachment security increased, autonomy decreased, structural hierarchy/proper demeanor and symbiosis reciprocity positive engagement increased. No relationship was found between attachment security and sociotropy. Multiple regression analyses indicated that an expanding self served to decrease the effect of maternal attachment security on symbiosis reciprocity/positive engagement while it did not effect the relationship between attachment security and other behavioral consequences tested. High and low score combinations of expanding self and security were created to develop some theoretical speculations for further research. The cultural differences found in the expression of attachment security were discussed in terms of the development of self in different cultures and neurobiological findings.