The DOI matches its Crossref record; 145 of the 146 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Sex Differences in Romantic Attachment: A Meta-Analysis
Abstract
This article presents the first meta-analysis of sex differences in the avoidance and anxiety dimensions of adult romantic attachment, based on 113 samples (N = 66,132) from 100 studies employing two-dimensional romantic attachment questionnaires (Experiences in Close Relationships, Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, and Adult Attachment Questionnaire). Overall, males showed higher avoidance and lower anxiety than females, with substantial between-study heterogeneity. Sex differences were much larger in community samples (bivariate D = .28) than in college samples (D = .12); web-based studies showed the smallest sex differences (D = .07) in the opposite direction. Sex differences also varied across geographic regions (overall Ds = .10 to .34). Sex differences in anxiety peaked in young adulthood, whereas those in avoidance increased through the life course. The relevance of these findings for evolutionary models of romantic attachment is discussed, and possible factors leading to underestimation of sex differences are reviewed.
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In the citing paper
“Moreover, men dismiss or avoid romantic attachment more than women do (SMDs = 0.12–0.18; Del Giudice, 2011; Schmitt, 2008; Schmitt et al., 2003)”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Del Giudice, 2011
In the citing paper
“whereas anxious attachment is higher in women (SMD = 0.08; Del Giudice, 2011)”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Del Giudice, 2011
In the citing paper
“A weaker but similar pattern was found for avoidant attachment in the new analyses (Del Giudice, 2011).”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Del Giudice, 2011
In the citing paper
“For Attachment, for which women score higher (anxious attachment; Del Giudice, 2011), there is an ambiguous pattern with effects indicating both a larger and a smaller sex difference in countries with higher living conditions (Del Giudice, 2011).”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Del Giudice, 2011
In the citing paper
“A meta-analysis of 100 studies of attachment anxiety and avoidance reported an average correlation coefficient of r = 0.32 [9].”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Del Giudice, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Turin, Torino, Italy,
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2011-01-14
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 193-214
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2131783775
- Cited by
- 441
- References
- 146
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 70 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 2.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ArTS Archivio della ricerca di Trieste (University of Trieste https://www.units.it/) (submittedVersion)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- sex differences, romantic attachment, attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, adult attachment, Experiences in Close Relationships, life course, regional variation
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Anxiety, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Love, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Object Attachment, Personality Disorders, Psychological Tests, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Young Adult
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