The predictive value of college students' attachment styles on the development of intrinsically or extrinsically motivated life goals

Using literature from three psychological foundations: attachment theory, college student development theory, and goal development theory, as the guiding premise, this study examined the influence of human attachment styles on the development of life aspirations. Based on the fundamental nature of the effects of attachment style on the development of identity, and the "crisis" of identity development which occurs during the college years, it is suggested that nurturing secure attachments in college students may impact the development of intrinsically motivated life goals. Respondents in this survey identified a distinct attachment category to which they associated and responded to questions related to the importance, likelihood, and current levels of attachment related to life aspirations. Findings from this baseline study suggest that there may be a predictive value of attachment style on the development of life goals, particularly as they relate to college students with preoccupied and dismissing attachment styles and the development of extrinsic aspirations. Discussion related to these findings, as well as implications for higher education, are included in this paper.