Attachment theorists suggest that people construct a number of distinct working models throughout life. People develop global working models, which reflect their expectations and beliefs concerning relationships in general, as well as relationship-specific working models of close others—their mothers, fathers, romantic partners, and friends. The present research investigated the interplay of these different working models over time. We analyzed longitudinal data collected from 4,904 adults (mean age = 35.24 years; SD = 11.63) who completed between 3 and 24 online survey assessments (median test–retest interval = 35 days). Using latent growth curve modeling, we examined the associations among both long-term changes and short-term fluctuations in participants’ working models. Our findings suggest that different working models not only change together over the long run, but also exhibit co-occurring, short-term fluctuations. This was true concerning the associations between global and relationship-specific models as well as among different relationship-specific models.

ObjectivePersonality changes across the life span. Life events, such as marriage, becoming a parent, and retirement, have been proposed as facilitating personality growth via the adoption of novel social roles. However, empirical evidence linking life events with personality development is sparse. Most studies have relied on few assessments separated by long time intervals and have focused on a single life event. In contrast, the content of life is composed of small, recurrent experiences (e.g., getting sick or practicing a hobby), with relatively few major events (e.g., childbirth). Small, frequently experienced life events may play an important and overlooked role in personality development.MethodThe present study examined the extent to which 25 major and minor life events alter the trajectory of personality development in a large, frequently assessed sample (Nsample = 4904, Nassessments = 47,814, median retest interval = 35 days).ResultsUsing a flexible analytic strategy to accommodate the repeated occurrence of life events, we found that the trajectory of personality development shifted in response to a single occurrence of some major life events (e.g., divorce), and recurrent, “minor” life experiences (e.g., one's partner doing something special).ConclusionBoth stark role changes and frequently reinforced minor experiences can lead to personality change.

Attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community have shifted over the past several decades. Same-sex marriage has increasingly positive public opinion and legal opinion in the United States, LGBTQIA+ people serve leadership roles in government and industry, and media representation of non-heterosexual relationships has increased. Has research kept up with this pace of change? We examined the inclusion of Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) participants in papers published from 2016-2020 in four top-tier romantic relationships journals: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Personal Relationships, Journal of Marriage and Family, and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes (k = 1,343). We reviewed a total of 891 empirical research studies of romantic relationships and coded their sample demographics as well as exclusion criteria. Only 22% of samples included SGM respondents in analyses. The average number of sexual and gender diverse respondents were 20 and 6, respectively, across all studies, which is lower than expected based on population rates. These averages did not vary by journal, year of publication, or year of data collection, showing no improvement over the evaluated time period. Only 37% of samples provided complete reporting of both gender identity and sexual orientation. We identify specific areas for improvement, both in terms of representation and research reporting standards. The study of close personal relationships would be strengthened by incorporating diverse relationships.

Attachment theory suggests that romantic relationship dynamics are not only shaped by how people relate to their partners, but also by the bonds they share with other important people in their lives. The present study investigated how parental and partner attachment representations work together to predict romantic relationship functioning. In addition, we examined how the associations between these working models and relationship functioning might differ in newer versus more established relationships. We measured attachment representations and relationship functioning in a sample of 1,469 adults involved in romantic relationships. Our results suggest that partner-specific attachment might mediate the associations between parental attachment working models and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, it appears that the association between partner-specific attachment anxiety and relationship satisfaction is stronger in more established relationships, whereas partner-specific avoidance is associated with satisfaction to similar degrees across relationships of varying lengths.