Attachment theory

Attachment theory

1. Para-social relationships originate in early childhood

   • problems in adult relationships stems for the quality of attachment that was developed with the primary care giver
   • insecure attachments are likely to lead to adults who are more likely to engage in para-social relationships
   • insecurely attached people are attracted to para-social relationships because they make no demands and there is less risk of criticism and disappointment

2. Attachment and stalking

   • Keinlen and McCann - suggested that stalking behaviour in adolescence and adulthood is directly related to insecure attachment behaviour
   • insecure-resistant adults seek approval from their celebrity idol and may try to contact them
   • avoidant adults will keep at a distance but may become aggressive to retaliate against a perceived wrong doing - rejection

3. McCutcheon et al (2006) - research study

   • asked 299 students between 16-42 to complete 4 measurements
     • celebrity stalking scale - relationship questionnaire - celebrity attitude scale - parental bonding scale
   • they did not find that insecure adults attachment styles were more likely to become attached to celebrities that secure
   • however did find that those with insecure attachment types were more likely to think that stalking was acceptable
   • and there was a relationship between pathological attachment type and tendency to stalk

4. Evaluation of McCutcheon

   • advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires
   • not all questionnaires have been validated - were they measuring what they were meant to measure
   • correlational research - all students - not representative

5. Torin (2004)

   • measured attachment types of stalkers and compared this to a control group
     • control using an adult attachment questionnaire and retrospective childhood attachment questionnaire
   • found that stalkers were significantly more likely to have an insecure adult attachment type than the control group

6. Evaluation of Torin

   • stalkers generally - not just celebrity - would the same apply?
   • generally stalking is of someone you have had a real relationship with so results may not apply to celebrity stalking