Attachment style and the mental representation of the self.

Six studies examined the association between attachment style and several aspects of the mental representation of the self in adolescents. Studies 1 and 2 focused on the hedonic tone of the self-structure, Studies 3 and 4 focused on its complexity, and Studies 5 and 6 focused on discrepancies between domains and standpoints of the self. Results indicated that secure and avoidant persons had a more positive view of themselves than anxious-ambivalent persons. In addition, secure persons were found to have a more balanced, complex, and coherent self-structure than insecure persons, either avoidant or anxious-ambivalent. The discussion emphasizes the connection between the in-ternalization of attachment experiences and the construction of the self. Research on adult attachment uses Bowlbys (1973) con-struct of working models—mental representations of attach-ment figures and the self—to explain how past interactions with significant others influence social and emotional develop-ment. Initial studies of adult attachment focused on the way people think about and behave in their relationships (e.g., Ha-zan Shaver, 1987). The present series of studies focuses on a neglected aspect of attachment working models: the mental representation of the self.