Changing for the worse: The effects of attachment anxiety on perceived self-adulteration

Abstract

In romantic relationships, people’s self-concepts (i.e., a person’s conceptualization of themselves) change. They expand to incorporate partners’ characteristics and contract to eliminate no longer relevant self-characteristics. This process is a sign that a couple is growing closer and is associated with positive outcomes. However, not all incorporated characteristics are positive. Some individuals are more likely to have selves that expand to incorporate negative characteristics, and as such they engage in the process of self-adulteration. As a result, they may fail to reap the positive outcomes of self-concept change. In one study and a direct replication (total N = 821), we predicted and found that people high in attachment anxiety are more likely to perceive greater self-adulteration in their relationship. In a third longitudinal study ( N = 122), we found people high in attachment anxiety at Time 1 perceived greater self-adulteration at Time 2.