Attachment Style and Subjective Motivations for Sex

Abstract

The relation of attachment style to subjective motivations for sex was investigated in an Internet survey of 1999 respondents. The relations of attachment anxiety and avoidance to overall sexual motivation and to the specific motives for emotional closeness, reassurance, self-esteem enhancement, stress reduction, partner manipulation, protection from partner's negative affect and behavior, power exertion, physical pleasure, nurturing one's partner, and procreation were explored. As predicted, attachment anxiety was positively related to overall sexual motivation and to all specific motives for sex, with the exception of physical pleasure. Avoidance was negatively related to emotional closeness and reassurance as goals of sex and positively related to manipulative use of sex but minimally related to most other motives. Sexual passion was positively related to attachment anxiety and negatively related to avoidance, and anxiety was related to the maintenance of passion over time, whereas avoidance was related to loss of passion over time.

The Causal Effects of Relational Security and Insecurity on Condom Use Attitudes and Acquisition Behavior

“…Although we do not have any data to directly explain this disconnect between anxiously primed participants' condom use attitudes and behavior, like her colleagues (1999, 2000) and others (e.g., Davis et al, 2004), we suspect that anxiously primed participants would be reluctant to disrupt whatever norm was present in their sexual encounters by acting on their changed attitudes. As anxiously attached individuals strongly associate sex with love (Davis et al, 2004;Schachner & Shaver, 2004), they likely are more content to leave the decision of condom use to their partners, fearing that voicing their particular preference would jeopardize their access to the sex (and therefore love) they so desperately covet.…”

“…As anxiously attached individuals strongly associate sex with love (Davis et al, 2004;Schachner & Shaver, 2004), they likely are more content to leave the decision of condom use to their partners, fearing that voicing their particular preference would jeopardize their access to the sex (and therefore love) they so desperately covet.…”

“…Most frequently, anxious attachment style is associated with more unsafe sex and negative attitudes towards condom use, whereas an avoidant attachment style is associated with more positive attitudes towards condom use (Feeney, Kelly, Gallois, Peterson, & Terry, 1999;Feeney et al, 2000;Strachman & Impett, 2009). One possible explanation for this association, advanced by Feeney et al, is that anxiously attached people engage in risky sex and hold such attitudes because they fear that noncompliance with their partners' wishes will jeopardize their relationships (see Davis, Shaver, & Vernon, 2004). These findings, however, seem at odds with findings of a positive association between secure attachment style and negative attitudes towards condom use (Bogaert & Sadava, 2002), or between avoidant attachment style and negative attitudes towards condom use (Kershaw et al, 2007).…”

Considering Attachment and Partner Perceptions in the Prediction of Physical and Emotional Sexual Satisfaction

“…Because of its problematic association with intimacy, attachment anxiety and avoidance may shape cognitions and behaviors in sexual interactions in different ways [11,12]. Both attachment anxiety and avoidance have been linked to a host of negative sexual functioning outcomes as well as lower sexual satisfaction, in samples that contain partnered as well as single people [4,13,14].…”

Emotional responses to casual sex experiences: The roles of sexual motives and romantic attachment styles.

“…However, individuals with a preoccupied style of attachment view themselves as somewhat unlovable, which translates into being overly dependent on others, an incessant desire to be involved in romantic relationships, and continuous involvement in unstable romantic relationships (Bartholomew, 1997;Bartholomew & Horowitz;Collins & Read, 1990;Hazen & Shaver, 1987). Uncertainty surrounding a partner's availability and the strong need for closeness leads individuals with a preoccupied style of attachment or higher levels of attachment anxiety to engage in sexual intercourse for self-affirmation, coping, and intimacy-related reasons (Davis, Shaver, & Vernon, 2004;Schachner & Shaver, 2004). Moreover, higher levels of attachment anxiety is associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in indiscriminate or permissive sexual behavior, especially among females (Feeney, Peterson, Gallois, & Terry, 2000;Gentzler & Kerns, 2004).…”