One Foot Out of the Nest: How Parents and Friends Influence Social Perceptions in Emerging Adulthood

• Published in: Journal of adult development Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 147 - 158
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Tanzina, Brumbaugh, Claudia Chloe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.09.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adults; Aging; Attachment; Avoidance; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Friendship; Life Stage Transitions; Parents; Personality and Social Psychology; Psychology; Social Perception; Transference; Attachment; Emerging adulthood; Friends; Parents
• ISSN: 1068-0667; 1573-3440
• DOI: 10.1007/s10804-014-9187-9

Attachment theory proposes that representations of attachment figures are transferred between relationships, resulting in stable relational experiences. The current study used a transference paradigm to examine how parental and best friend attachment representations influence perceptions of new relationship partners in emerging adulthood. We discovered that close friendships influenced attachment anxiety and avoidance experienced specifically with friend-like others, while parental relationships affected feelings of anxiety toward a variety of people. Several relationship factors, such as the importance of the friend relationship, moderated the transference process. Our findings suggest that emerging adults’ current relationships have an impact on their reactions toward novel individuals, and emerging adults’ feelings about their existing relationship partners color their future social experiences.