Primed into security: can attachment security priming affect attachment-related biases on early attention?

Abstract

Attachment avoidance is associated with deactivation of the attachment system when distressed, and disengagement from distressing information to maintain felt security. This study investigated how experimentally induced priming to enhance felt security might influence avoidant strategies at an attentional level. In a randomized, mixed design (N=104), we assessed attentional vigilance/disengagement towards contemptuous/neutral facial expressions using a variation of the dot-probe task, considering priming and attachment avoidance and anxiety. Attachment avoidance predicted attentional disengagement from the facial stimuli, particularly in individuals with low anxiety. By contrast, attachment anxiety predicted attentional vigilance regardless of level of avoidance. Task performance improved pre- to post-priming, driven by the neutral priming condition, suggesting that emotionally charged memories in security priming may deplete attentional resources. Priming did not affect highly avoidant individuals, suggesting they may disengage early from the task and remain unaffected by it. Findings highlight the complex interplay between attachment styles and attentional processes.