Interrelation of attachment style and communicative reactions to jealousy: sexual likeness and differences

The attachment theory assumes that internal working models can affect propensity to test jealousy. Studying of sexual variability of jealousy reactions gives possibility to study attachment styles differences as the jealousy is one of the strongest experiences of the people tested in close interpersonal relations. The hypothesis about existence of sexual differences in relations of attachment styles and ways of expression of jealousy has been put forward. Techniques «The Adult Attachment Scale» and «Communicative reactions to jealousy» were used. 507 persons have taken part in research (242 men, 265 women). Without dependence from sex individuals with secure attachment style distinguishes propensity to integrative communications, with dismissing attachment style — preference of compensatory actions, with the preoccupied attachment style — use of strategies of negative affective expression, distributive communications and avoiding. For individuals with fearful attachment style there is a strict sexual differentiation. In communicative reactions to jealousy considerable sexual differences are found out in individuals with various attachment styles.

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