This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Lopez, F. G. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Student-Professor Relationship Styles, Childhood Attachment Bonds and Current Academic Orientations

Michigan State University, FLOPEZ{at}MSU.EDU

Within the past decade, attachment theory has been productively extended into the domains of close adult relationships. Indeed, a key theoretical construct attachment security has been shown to predict a variety of important relationship out comes, including perceived trust, affect self-regulation, and overall dyadic adjustment. More recently, attachment theory has guided research into non-intimate relationships, again with supportive results. In keeping with this initiative, the present study explored whether college students adopting typically secure vs insecure styles of relating to professors also differed in their descriptions of early attachment bonds with parents, and in their responses to measures of current academic motivation and adjustment. Findings indicated that, relative to their peers with insecure relationship styles, students in secure relationships with their professors experienced significantly warmer and more supportive childhood emotional bonds with their mothers. In addition, they evidenced significantly more favorable academic attitudes and stronger feelings of social integration and connectedness within the university community.

Key Words: academic motivation • academic relationships • attachment bonds

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 14, No. 2, 271-282 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407597142008


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. Game Negative emotions in supervisory relationships: The role of relational models Human Relations, March 1, 2008; 61(3): 355 - 393. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Larose, A. Bernier, N. Soucy, and S. Duchesne Attachment Style Dimensions, Network Orientation and the Process of Seeking Help from College Teachers Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, April 1, 1999; 16(2): 225 - 247. [Abstract] [PDF]