The Influence of Adult Attachment Styles on Workers' Preferences for Relational Leadership Behaviors

In the present study, researchers used contemporary attachment theory to explore the contributions of adult attachment styles on workers' preferences for relational leadership behaviors. A sample of 617 workers in a retail organization across ten stores throughout the East, South, and Midwest completed measures of relationship attachment style and preferences for leadership behaviors. As hypothesized, findings revealed that workers with preoccupied adult attachment styles expressed stronger preferences for relational leadership behaviors than workers with either dismissive adult attachment styles or fearful attachment styles. Implications of the findings to advance a deeper understanding of workers' leadership behavioral preferences are discussed.