Prediction of fear of intimacy, based on attachment styles and identity processing styles in male and female students

Master thesis in the field

Educational psychology

Abstract

           Prediction of fear of intimacy, based on attachment styles and identity processing styles in male and female students

The present study aims to investigate the prediction of fear of intimacy Intimacy was based on attachment styles and identity processing styles in male and female students. The participants of this research included 329 students (182 girls and 147 boys) of Shiraz University who were selected based on the proportional random cluster sampling method. In order to examine the research variables, each of the participants completed questionnaires of fear of intimacy (Schottner and Thelan, 1991), attachment styles (Collins and Reed, 1990) and identity processing styles (White et al., 1998). The reliability of research tools was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and their validity was determined by internal consistency and factor analysis. The results indicated the acceptable validity and reliability of the tests. The results of the research showed that attachment style explains 18% of the variance of fear of intimacy and the subscales of closeness (secure attachment) and dependence (image of avoidant attachment) negatively and significantly predict fear of intimacy. Identity processing style also explains 6% of the variance of fear of intimacy and confused-avoidant style positively and significantly predicts fear of intimacy. In the end, in order to predict fear of intimacy based on attachment styles and identity processing styles in male and female students, multiple regression was used simultaneously. The results showed that in girls, closeness subscale and dependence subscale predicted fear of intimacy in a negative and significant way. But the anxiety subscale has not been able to significantly predict the fear of intimacy. In addition, none of the identity processing styles have been able to significantly predict the fear of intimacy in girls. In boys, only the closeness subscale predicts the fear of intimacy negatively and significantly, but the dependency and anxiety subscales, as well as the identity processing styles, have not been able to significantly predict the fear of intimacy.

Key words: fear of intimacy, attachment styles, identity processing styles

General

One of the manifestations of human social life is the existence of interactions and communication between people. We spend a major part of our lives in relation to others or thinking about them. How we communicate with the people we live with and love, and we are always in continuous interaction with them, forms an important part of our interpersonal relationship ability. Undoubtedly, a decisive part in any relationship is intimacy[1] (Bagarouzi[2], 1997).

2007). Psychologists define intimacy as the ability to communicate (without control) with another and express emotions (without inhibition) and consider it an inalienable right and one of the natural human states (Bloom [4], 2006). According to Rice and Shaver's (1988) communication model, intimacy is a process in which a person shares information and the listener responds in a way that creates a sense of approval and support. In fact, the ability to open up in close relationships makes these relationships sincere and enables a person to feel understood, approved, and emotionally close to another. Sternberg[5] (1986, quoted by Brannon[6], 2002) also, in his three-faceted model[7] of love, considers intimacy as a feeling of closeness to another and believes that equitable participation in family life will lead to intimacy.

The study of intimate relationship as an important aspect of adult life has a long history, which attempts to classify it in time Aristotle [8] returns and today part of the knowledge in this field confirms his observations, but the scientific study about it has started since the 1990s (Barnes [9], 1998).

       The capacity to enter and maintain intimate relationships is an important component of adaptation in adults (Feldman, Govan and Fisher [10], 1998). Inability to form or maintain intimate relationships, often due to fear of intimacy.The inability to form or maintain intimate relationships often occurs due to fear of intimacy[11], that is, the inability to share thoughts and feelings with someone who is valued (Thelen, Vanderwaal, Thomas, & Harman[12], 2000). Therefore, the fear of intimacy will be in conflict with the well-being of the person (Phillips, Wilmot, Wall, Peterson, Buckley and Phillips[13], 2013).

     The concept of fear of intimacy was first proposed by Hatfield[14] (1984) about three decades ago. Among the basic reasons for fear of intimacy, he mentioned fear of self-disclosure [15], fear of abandonment, fear of violent encounters, fear of losing control, fear of losing individuality (Lloyd [16], 2011). Descatner and Thelen [17] (1991) also defined the fear of intimacy as the inability of a person to exchange his thoughts and feelings with an important and close person, due to the presence of anxiety in him. People who are afraid of intimacy want interpersonal communication but are afraid of rejection, as a result, they experience anxiety during verbal and non-verbal communication with others (Bashart, 2011). Get enough information from their primary caregivers. As a result, one of the factors affecting a person's intimacy is his relationship and attachment to his parents. Balbi [19] (1969) conceptualized attachment in the form of a grand theory. Attachment theory is not only a theory of child development, but also a theory of development in the life span (Weiss [20], 1994). According to Balby (1969, 1973, 1980), attachment relationships are always present and active throughout the life cycle (Goodwin [21], 2003). The quality of the relationship and the type of child-parent attachment leads to the formation of mental representations that create their schemas or patterns of action to interact with themselves and the outside world (Balbi, 1973; Naftel and Shaver [22], 2006). Following the researches of people such as Balby and Ainsworth[23], three secure attachment styles[24], avoidant insecure attachment[25], and ambivalent insecure attachment[26] were recognized (Ainsworth, Bullher, Water and Wall[27], 1978). These styles were later confirmed in adults as well (Hazen and Shaver[28], 1987).

       The results of many researches confirm the continuity and continuation of attachment style in the life cycle (Frailly[29], 2002; Maine, Kaplan and Cassidy[30], 1985; Naftel and Shaver, 2006). People with secure attachment have a higher level of trust and satisfaction and a lower level of conflicts, while people with avoidant attachment have less satisfaction and intimacy and more conflicts, and people with ambivalent attachment are characterized by an imbalance in emotions and more conflicts (Collins, Cooper, Albino and Allard [31], 2002). The person or the fear of intimacy has an effect on him, it is the identity styles of people. Erikson [32] (1982) puts forward the argument that only after establishing a reasonable sense of identity can one experience true intimacy with another person (Montgomery [33], 2005 quoted by Daneshpour et al., 2016).

During the last four decades, researches about adolescent identity have been conceptualized based on Marcia's identity base paradigm [34] (Hejazi and Fartash, 2015). Among other important theories in identity is Berzonsky's theory of identity styles [35]. According to Berzonski (1990), identity styles indicate information processing orientations, and teenagers use them when building their identity and committing to values ??and beliefs. Berzonsky's theory is based on the assumption of constructivism, that is, people play an active role in building their thinking in relation to the reality in which they live. In this theory, the differences between people in the use of decision-making processes, problem solving, facing problems, conflict with assignments have been addressed. Berzonsky proposes three styles of identity processing [36], informational identity style [37], normative identity style [38] and identity style. Confused-avoidant[39]. People with informational identity style are purposeful in dealing with issues related to identity and try to act carefully with mental effort; These people are curiously looking for the right information to shape their identity. They evaluate and judge information. People with a normative identity processing style act in harmony with the expectations of the reference group and the people who are important in their lives and internalize them without evaluating beliefs and values.