Attachment theorists suspect that based on early relational patterns with parents, children develop their own interaction style (Stocker & Dunn, 1994). If parents largely relate to each other and other family members in a hostile manner, then that hostility is likely to manifest itself in their children's own relational style. Ultimately, the child's maladaptive relational style has a negative effect on the sibling relationship. Cross-sectional research conducted by K. J. Conger, Conger, and Elder (1994) on 221 seventh-graders with older siblings found that maternal and parental hostility, both towards each other as well as other family members, have a negative effect on sibling relationships. Specifically, this research found that parents' hostility had a strong negative effect on warm and supportive feelings between siblings. Similar to Stocker and Dunn (1994), Conger et al. (1994) suggest that siblings may emulate their parents' hostile relational styles during sibling interactions.