Attachment and sexism in adult population between 18 and 60 years in Quito, Ecuador

The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between attachment styles and the presence of sexist attitudes in men and women. One thousand three hundred and seventy-Three people from the city of Quito participated, 55.4 % women and 44. 6 % men aged 18 to 60, who completed an attachment instrument and two sexism inventories. The results showed differences in sexism between secure attachment and fearful and preoccupied attachments, but not with the dismissing type of attachment, indicating that sexist attitudes (benevolent and hostile) are related to attachment styles derived from negative models of the self in both sexes. It is concluded that people who have not internalized an adequate sense of their own value have a greater tendency to present sexist attitudes.