The present study examined the possibility that adult romantic attachment orientation, empathy, and social skills could either individually or jointly influence the expression of mate poaching behaviors. Participants (N = 404) were recruited from a Southern Appalachian university and ranged in age from 18-60 years, with a mean of 21. Data were collected using a web-based survey system. Results of this study lend support to the growing literature demonstrating a link between adult romantic attachment and mate poaching. Additionally, the present study also added to the literature by showing for the first time 1) a relationship between empathy and mate poaching and 2) a relationship between social skills and mate poaching. Contrary to one of the hypothesized structural models, adult attachment was not found to mediate the relationships between 1) empathy and mate poaching and 2) social skills and mate poaching.
","abstract_html":"<p>The present study examined the possibility that adult romantic attachment orientation, empathy, and social skills could either individually or jointly influence the expression of mate poaching behaviors. Participants (N = 404) were recruited from a Southern Appalachian university and ranged in age from 18-60 years, with a mean of 21. Data were collected using a web-based survey system. Results of this study lend support to the growing literature demonstrating a link between adult romantic attachment and mate poaching. Additionally, the present study also added to the literature by showing for the first time 1) a relationship between empathy and mate poaching and 2) a relationship between social skills and mate poaching. Contrary to one of the hypothesized structural models, adult attachment was not found to mediate the relationships between 1) empathy and mate poaching and 2) social skills and mate poaching.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gorniewicz, James Stephen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:14Z","subjects":["structural equation modeling","social skills","empathy","mate poaching infidelity","adult romantic attachment","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1311","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gorniewicz, James Stephen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["structural equation modeling","social skills","empathy","mate poaching infidelity","adult romantic attachment","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2502/viewcontent/GorniewiczJ011411f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1311"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The present study examined the possibility that adult romantic attachment orientation, empathy, and social skills could either individually or jointly influence the expression of mate poaching behaviors. Participants (N = 404) were recruited from a Southern Appalachian university and ranged in age from 18-60 years, with a mean of 21. Data were collected using a web-based survey system. Results of this study lend support to the growing literature demonstrating a link between adult romantic attachment and mate poaching. Additionally, the present study also added to the literature by showing for the first time 1) a relationship between empathy and mate poaching and 2) a relationship between social skills and mate poaching. Contrary to one of the hypothesized structural models, adult attachment was not found to mediate the relationships between 1) empathy and mate poaching and 2) social skills and mate poaching.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Do Adult Romantic Attachment Empathy and Social Skills Influence Mate Poaching Infidelity?."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Gorniewicz, James Stephen"],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The present study examined the possibility that adult romantic attachment orientation, empathy, and social skills could either individually or jointly influence the expression of mate poaching behaviors. Participants (N = 404) were recruited from a Southern Appalachian university and ranged in age from 18-60 years, with a mean of 21. Data were collected using a web-based survey system. Results of this study lend support to the growing literature demonstrating a link between adult romantic attachment and mate poaching. Additionally, the present study also added to the literature by showing for the first time 1) a relationship between empathy and mate poaching and 2) a relationship between social skills and mate poaching. Contrary to one of the hypothesized structural models, adult attachment was not found to mediate the relationships between 1) empathy and mate poaching and 2) social skills and mate poaching.
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