The sociopolitical dimension of attachment: differences in attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance between East and West Germans

Background Attachment is a universal, cross-cultural basic need, which, however, is defined, satisfied and shaped differently in each socio-cultural context. Germany with its history of two divided states and their different sociopolitical environments offers an unique opportunity to study their impact on attachment behavior. Methods Attachment behavior was assessed in a representative sample ( N = 2,328) using the dimensions of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance in couple relationships of the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire (ECR-RD 12). Differences between East and West Germans were examined in a univariate analysis of variance, differentiated by age cohorts and sex. Socioeconomic variables were included in the model as control variables. Results Significant East-West differences were found for attachment anxiety ( p = .01), but not for attachment avoidance. The analysis differentiated by age cohorts revealed on average a lower level of attachment anxiety for East Germans born between 1921 and 1989 compared to West Germans. These differences were not found for the post-reunification generation (born after 1989), although this comparison included only 28 East German participants and should be interpreted with caution. Gender-related effects were only found in relation with age cohorts. Conclusion Adults who grew up in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) report lower attachment anxiety than their West German counterparts. Although effect sizes were small, the findings suggest that the sociopolitical environment is a relevant factor for attachment behavior in close relationships, particularly attachment anxiety.