Łukasz Tanaś
Psychologia Rozwojowa, Tom 25, Numer 4, 2020, s. 45 - 62
https://doi.org/10.4467/20843879PR.20.026.13434Attachment Style, Empathy and Moral Foundations as Predictors of Attitudes Towards Sexual Behavior during Childhood
The study explores the structure of adult (N = 170, Mage = 30) beliefs regarding the sexuality of preschool children (Ratkowska-Pasikowska, Pasikowski, 2013). Furthermore it evaluates the probable predictors of these beliefs: avoidance and anxiety dimensions of attachment, moral foundations and the levels of cognitive and affective empathy. Results show a two-factor differentiation of beliefs regarding children’s sexuality. Adults make a distinction between intrusive behaviors, related to verbal aggression or potential violation of other people’s intimacy, and behaviors combining sexuality with curiosity and role-playing. The former category is generally less accepted than the latter. At the same time, higher level of cognitive empathy and a lower level of endorsement in the sphere of purity/sanctity as a foundation of moral evaluation, is a general predictor of higher acceptance of sexual behaviors in both categories. Higher level of attachment anxiety predicts a higher acceptance of intrusive sexual behaviors, and a higher level of attachment avoidance predicts a lower acceptance of such behaviors. These results are discussed within the context of their importance for the future studies on childhood sexuality with parents as the potential informants on behavior of their children.