Running head: ATTACHMENT AND LEADERSHIP STYLES

The Relationship Between Dismissive Attachment Styles and Authoritarian Leadership Styles
Ashleigh Soedel
University of Utah

Introduction
The way an adult communicates does not come naturally, but instead with years of
conditioning and deep rooted concepts. Likewise, the way an adult demonstrates leadership in
the workforce stems from philosophies and experiences from childhood. The approach parents
take to raise their children can bring upon everlasting conditions that carry on to their adulthood.
Thus, if a caretaker brings up a child in a negative way, the possibility of that child leading a
negative path later in life is worth noting. Its interesting to inspect the relationship between
undesirable attachment styles of children related to their consequences later on in the form of
leadership styles. In particular, this paper will seek to examine the extent to which a dismissive
attachment style is more likely to take on an authoritarian leadership style.
My curiosity to study the relationship between a dismissive attachment style and an
authoritarian leadership style first came up when my sister got let go from her job. As a
preschool assistant teacher, my sister had the obligation to follow instructions from her superiors,

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such as the main teacher and principal. However, my sister has an especially hard time taking
orders from other people. Even though she is merely an assistant, she demands that things be
done her way. Through what I heard, she was trying to assert control and authority over her
coworkers, something that is unheard of for a subordinate to do. When authoritarian leaders want
to establish dominance, they try to do so by emphasiz[ing] unilateral decision-making (Schuh,
Tian & Zhang, 2012). An example of her making a one-sided decision was when she scheduled
naptime for the children one day at a different time than the teacher wanted. Obviously, the
teacher told her that it was unacceptable for her to do that. She later ranted to me about it, calling
the teacher retarded for not seeing her way. Her behavior was one that tried to assure her
power over the teachers, but as an inferior, it was unwanted and ultimately led to her termination.
Its important to note that my sister was brought up by loving parents in a nurturing
environment, yet demonstrates some characteristics of a dismissive attachment style. She has
verbally called herself perfect and demands our parents to treat her like a princess. Gifts are
expected, and therefore, she never says thank you when an act of generosity is shown towards
her. According to Wood (2014), those who develop this type of style dismiss others as
unworthy, leading them to develop a positive view of themselves and a low regard for others
and relationships (p. 183). This type of personality leads to her having a hard time making
friends or keeping relationships, and an especially hard time recognizing the significance of her
higher-ups in the workforce.
The reason why my sister sparked my interest to develop this research question was
because she doesnt fit a dismissive attachment style to a key (was not brought up by abusive or
neglectful parents, but could have been subject to questionable circumstances growing up) and
demonstrates an authoritarian leadership style, even though she has never been in a real position

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of authority. Therefore, I am exceedingly interested in the notion of someone truly exhibiting a
dismissive attachment style and also having a position of power in the work force.
Methods
This paper will assess the extent of those with a dismissive personal attachment style
demonstrating an authoritarian leadership style by using multiple scholarly articles and journals
from J. Willard Marriot Librarys search data base. By using credible, academic texts, the
research question in subject will confidently come to a reliable conclusion. Along with online
resources, written text from Julia Woods, Communication Mosaics An Introduction to the
Field of Communication, and works of literature pertaining to authoritarian leaders, will also be
sought.
To research this topic, I searched the phrase, attachment styles and leadership styles
into the Marriot Librarys data search bar. The results found included a lot of research studies
that examined the relationship between attachment styles and leadership styles. However, there
werent many that specifically studied a dismissive attachment style to that of an authoritarian
leadership style. To narrow down my search results and to get more specific, I searched the
words dismissive personal attachment style and an authoritarian leadership style. The results
that came up were still a little vague, but I eventually found some articles that were particular to
dismissive attachment styles and related leadership styles. One article is about the link between
parent characteristics and daughters attachment styles. It goes into detail about how undesirable
parent characteristics, such as being distant from their daughters, leads to the daughters
developing a dismissive attachment style. To find an article about authoritarian leadership, I
simply typed in authoritarian leadership into the search bar. I immediately discovered resources
to use.

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I turned away many sources, mostly because they went into detail about another aspect of
my topic. For example, there was an article about parent characteristics and attachment variables,
but how it pertained to college students of parental divorce instead of leadership styles.
Data Analysis/Findings
Attachment styles are not introduced in a certain point of life, but rather developed over
time. As infants, early experiences of attachment are introduced by internal working models.
(Bowlby, 1969). In this model, ones communication with others is influenced by the behavior of
their primary caregiver towards them. A parent figures behavior of love towards a child can lead
to secure attachment, but a behavior of rejection towards a child can lead to a dismissive
attachment.
A study done by Kilmann, Parnell, Urbaniak, and Vendemia (2009) investigated the
connection between negative parent behavior and daughters attachment styles. Because
attachment styles theorize that a model for expectations comes from primary interactions with
caregivers, a group of daughters were asked how often their mothers were there for them
physically and emotionally. Unsurprisingly, the daughters whose mothers were distant or absent
were more likely to relate dismissive attachment styles (para. 5). The daughters showed a
positive view of themselves and a negative view of others. Because an important relationship in
their life, the relationship with their mothers, was detached, they perceived other relationships as
unneeded and unwanted.
Taking the information about the characteristics of dismissive attachment styles, we can
assume the extent to which such characteristics influence an authoritarian leadership style. As
stated above, features of dismissive attachment styles include seeing others as unworthy and
viewing relationships with others unnecessary for personal growth (Wood, 183). In relation to
leadership, authoritarian leaders are viewed as controlling and domineering.
One of the most infamous authoritarian leaders, Adolf Hitler, is said to have stemmed
from an unstable childhood. According the William Langer (1972), Hitlers father was severely

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abusive, even beating him close to death one time. He tyrannically ruled the household,
ultimately playing a harmful role in Hitlers upbringing, so much so that Hitler rejected his father
as his own and attributed his birth to a higher power. This belief that he came from a greater
being only furthered his feelings of superiority and self-righteousness, both characteristics of
those with a dismissive attachment style. On the other hand, Hitlers mother spoiled him
immensely, leading him to develop a type of egotism. August Kubizek (1954) recounts that
Hitler was unappreciative of work opportunities and would not succumb to any bread and
butter job, perhaps because he felt as if he were better than those who worked those types of
jobs (p. 35). Although this example is extreme, the basis of it is clear. Hitlers belief that he was
better than everyone else demonstrated dismissive attachment attributes, which could have
contributed to his intense authoritarian ruling techniques later on.
Besides personality characteristics of authoritarian leaders, some communication patterns
of this type of leadership, as explained by Hackman (2009), include communicating one-way,
dominating interactions, unilaterally setting rules, independently leading tasks, expecting
obedience and punishing when obedience isnt met, and not listening to others while also not
giving feedback. Its greatly suggested that a reason why these types of leaders are this way is
because they greatly lack respect for others. This lack of respect stems down to the way they
were raised. Because people that developed dismissive attachment styles from their childhood
tend to view themselves as superior and others as unworthy, a translation to them not respecting
others cohere. Authoritarians do not have great communicating skills, as explained by Hackman,
and this can relate to how these types of leaders were brought up. Again, people who formed
dismissive attachment styles from the behaviors of their caregivers view keeping or maintaining
relationships unnecessary. Because of this trait, these people communicate to others much

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differently. When these differences enter the work place, they transpire to create the
characteristics of an authoritarian leader.
Conclusion
Based on scholarly evidence, I deduct that an objectionable upbringing leads to adverse
management skills in the future. The extent to which this upbringing leads to authoritarian
qualities is only determined by the extent of the dismissive attachment style. A child brought up
by more abusive parents might have a greater dismissiveness than a child with less abusive
parents. This range of intensity is shown through examples of Hitler and my sister. Hitlers
severely abusive relationship with his father is a possible correlation with the mass devastation
he brought as a leader. Questionable circumstances in my sisters childhood may have played a
role in her leadership style today. In conclusion, a child raised by more abusive parents might
have a greater dismissiveness and demonstrate a greater authoritarian leadership style while a
child raised by less abusive parents might not show a great dismissive attachment style and
therefore, exhibit a lesser authoritarian leadership style.

References
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss (Vol. 1). New York: Basic Books.
Hackman, M. Z., & Johnson, C. E. (2009). Leadership: A Communication Perspective (5th ed.).
Long Grove, IL, Waveland Press.

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Kilmann, P., Vendemia, J., Parnell, M., & Urbaniak, G. (n.d.). PARENT CHARACTERISTICS
LINKED WITH DAUGHTERS* ATTACHMENT STYLES. 44(175), 557-557.
Retrieved December 6, 2015.
Kubizek, A. (1954). Young Hitler, the story of our friendship; translated from the German by
E.V. Anderson [pseud.] With an introd. by H.R. Trevor-Roper. London: A. Wingate.
Langer, W. (1972). The Mind of Adolf Hitler: The Secret Wartime Report ([Revised] ed.). New
York: Basic Books, Inc.
Schuh, S., Zhang, X., & Tian, P. (2013). For the Good or the Bad? Interactive Effects of
Transformational Leadership with Moral and Authoritarian Leadership Behaviors.
Journal of Business Ethics, 116(3), 629-640. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
Wood, J. (2014). Communication and Personal Identity. In Communication Mosaics: An
Introduction to the Field of Communication (Seventh Edition ed., p. 183). Boston, MA:
Wadsworth.