Global and specific relational models in the experience of social interactions and significant life events

• Main Author: Pierce, Tamarha.
• Other Authors: Lydon, John E. (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 1998
• Subjects: Attachment behavior.; Interpersonal relations.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=35477

The objectives of this research program were to provide evidence of the distinction between global and specific relational models and to assess their relative contributions in the experience of significant life events and daily social interactions. Relationship-specific models were operationalized in two ways: in terms of significant role relationships and in terms of salience (i.e., frequency of interactions). The association between global relational models and specific models, selected on the basis of the other's role (Study 1) or salience (Study 2), was examined. Results indicate that these constructs were correlated, but not redundant. === Moderate stabitily of global and specific models was found over 4 months. Analyses examining the extent to which change in this network of models operated through top-down or bottom-up processes suggested that change occurred mainly as a bottom-up process. Models of self and other for established relationships were generalized to the global models, but the global models did not contribute much to shaping changes in specific models. === Adjustment to two different life events was examined to distinguish between the contributions of global and distinct relationship-specific models in the experience of events eliciting different relational needs. Adjustment to university, anticipated to induce secure base needs, was in part explained by the global model of self and also by the model of other for father. In contrast, adjustment to a romantic breakup, expected to arouse safe haven needs, was associated with the model of self with a close friend, but not parental or global models. === Finally, global and specific models of self and other contributed to explaining the experience of daily interactions within relationships. Relationship-specific models of other were most strongly associated with the quality and intimacy of interactions. The global model of other made modest, but significant additional contributions to explain these ratings. The global model of self moderated the association between specific models of self and ratings of interactions to explain a significant, yet small proportion of the variance. In sum, this research demonstrated that attachment or relational models can be considered both global and specific representational structures, reflecting relational as well as individual differences.