Attachment correlates of resource-control strategies: Possible origins of social dominance and interpersonal power differentials

Abstract

The current study investigates whether adults’ attachment orientations are related to involvement of others in goal strategies in social contexts (e.g., peer relationships). Resource-control Theory identifies strategies that either include (prosocial) or exclude (coercive) others in material goal pursuit. We expect that attachment confidence will predict prosocial strategies (e.g., reciprocation, cooperation), while avoidance will predict use of coercive strategies (e.g., instrumental aggression). Two hundred and sixty-one women and 263 men completed a questionnaire battery that included the Attachment Styles Questionnaire for adults and items addressing critical aspects of their material goal pursuit. The results clearly indicate that attachment orientations are related to resource-control strategies with peers in meaningful ways. Implications for social dominance and power are discussed.