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Primed into security: can attachment security priming affect attachment-related biases on early attention?

Han, Gizem LU and Psouni, Elia LU orcid (2025) In Journal of Cognitive Psychology 37(2). p.144-156
Abstract
Attachment avoidance is associated with deactivation of the attachment system when distressed, and disengagement from distressing information to maintain felt security. This study investigated how experimentally induced priming to enhance felt security might influence avoidant strategies at an attentional level. In a randomized, mixed design (N=104), we assessed attentional vigilance/disengagement towards contemptuous/neutral facial expressions using a variation of the dot-probe task, considering priming and attachment avoidance and anxiety. Attachment avoidance predicted attentional disengagement from the facial stimuli, particularly in individuals with low anxiety. By contrast, attachment anxiety predicted attentional vigilance... (More)
Attachment avoidance is associated with deactivation of the attachment system when distressed, and disengagement from distressing information to maintain felt security. This study investigated how experimentally induced priming to enhance felt security might influence avoidant strategies at an attentional level. In a randomized, mixed design (N=104), we assessed attentional vigilance/disengagement towards contemptuous/neutral facial expressions using a variation of the dot-probe task, considering priming and attachment avoidance and anxiety. Attachment avoidance predicted attentional disengagement from the facial stimuli, particularly in individuals with low anxiety. By contrast, attachment anxiety predicted attentional vigilance regardless of level of avoidance. Task performance improved pre- to post-priming, driven by the neutral priming condition, suggesting that emotionally charged memories in security priming may deplete attentional resources. Priming did not affect highly avoidant individuals, suggesting they may disengage early from the task and remain unaffected by it. Findings highlight the complex interplay between attachment styles and attentional processes. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, attentional biases, attachment security priming, emotional cueing task
in
Journal of Cognitive Psychology
volume
37
issue
2
pages
144 - 156
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85214894775
ISSN
2044-5911
DOI
10.1080/20445911.2025.2450114
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7fc34158-c252-4349-9eb7-b136628ccee3
date added to LUP
2025-02-18 17:57:46
date last changed
2025-02-19 11:15:47
@article{7fc34158-c252-4349-9eb7-b136628ccee3,
  abstract     = {{Attachment avoidance is associated with deactivation of the attachment system when distressed, and disengagement from distressing information to maintain felt security. This study investigated how experimentally induced priming to enhance felt security might influence avoidant strategies at an attentional level. In a randomized, mixed design (N=104), we assessed attentional vigilance/disengagement towards contemptuous/neutral facial expressions using a variation of the dot-probe task, considering priming and attachment avoidance and anxiety. Attachment avoidance predicted attentional disengagement from the facial stimuli, particularly in individuals with low anxiety. By contrast, attachment anxiety predicted attentional vigilance regardless of level of avoidance. Task performance improved pre- to post-priming, driven by the neutral priming condition, suggesting that emotionally charged memories in security priming may deplete attentional resources. Priming did not affect highly avoidant individuals, suggesting they may disengage early from the task and remain unaffected by it. Findings highlight the complex interplay between attachment styles and attentional processes.}},
  author       = {{Han, Gizem and Psouni, Elia}},
  issn         = {{2044-5911}},
  keywords     = {{attachment avoidance; attachment anxiety; attentional biases; attachment security priming; emotional cueing task}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{144--156}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Cognitive Psychology}},
  title        = {{Primed into security: can attachment security priming affect attachment-related biases on early attention?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2025.2450114}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/20445911.2025.2450114}},
  volume       = {{37}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}