3. ATTACHMENT (The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships, including the role of an internal working model)

Question 1

What are childhood relationships?

Answer 1

Childhood relationships include affiliations with friends, classmates, and adults such as teachers. These relationships can affect a child’s social development.

Question 2

What are adult relationships?

Answer 2

Adult relationships include friendships, working relationships, romantic partnerships, and relationships with one’s own children. These relationships are influenced by early attachment experiences.

Question 3

What is an internal working model?

Answer 3

An internal working model is a cognitive framework that shapes an individual’s expectations of future relationships, based on their first attachment relationship with their caregiver.

Question 4

What are the three main features of an internal working model?

Answer 4

1. A model of others as being trustworthy.
2. A model of the self as valuable.
3. A model of the self as effective when interacting with others.

Question 5

How does an internal working model influence relationships?

Answer 5

It influences how a person perceives themselves and others. A child with a secure attachment will expect relationships to be positive and behave accordingly, while a child with an insecure attachment may struggle in relationships.

Question 6

What is the role of early attachment in future relationships?

Answer 6

Early attachment forms the foundation for future relationships. A secure attachment leads to healthier and more successful childhood and adult relationships, while an insecure attachment can lead to difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.

Question 7

What is the difference between prospective and retrospective cohort studies?

Answer 7

A prospective study follows participants over time to assess the impact of early attachment on future relationships, while a retrospective study looks back at past experiences to understand current relationship outcomes.

Question 8

What was the aim of the Minnesota Study (Sroufe et al., 2005)?

Answer 8

The study aimed to investigate whether attachment type in infancy is associated with the quality of friendships in later childhood.

Question 9

What were the findings of the Minnesota Study?

Answer 9

Securely attached children were more socially competent, less isolated, and more popular in later childhood compared to insecurely attached children.

Question 10

What is one strength of the Minnesota Study?

Answer 10

The study is longitudinal, which enhances its internal validity as it tracks the same participants over time, avoiding the confounding effects of individual differences between participants.

Question 11

What is one limitation of the Minnesota Study?

Answer 11

The use of the Strange Situation as a measure of attachment may be influenced by a child’s temperament, which could affect the validity of the findings.

Question 12

What was the aim of Hazan and Shaver’s (1987) study on adult romantic relationships?

Answer 12

The study aimed to investigate whether attachment type in infancy influences romantic relationships in adulthood.

Question 13

What were the findings of Hazan and Shaver’s study?

Answer 13

56% of respondents with secure attachments in childhood had positive and longer-lasting romantic relationships. Insecurely avoidant individuals were more likely to have difficulty with intimacy and experienced jealousy.

Question 14

What is a limitation of Hazan and Shaver’s study?

Answer 14

The study relies on retrospective data, which can be affected by memory bias as participants recall their childhood attachment experiences, potentially affecting the validity of the findings.

Question 15

How can social desirability bias affect Hazan and Shaver’s study?

Answer 15

Participants may provide socially desirable responses, such as downplaying negative feelings toward caregivers or overstating positive romantic experiences, which could bias the findings.

Question 16

What is one strength of Hazan and Shaver’s study?

Answer 16

The study is supported by other research, such as McCarthy (1999), which found that secure childhood attachments lead to better romantic and friendship outcomes in adulthood, adding validity to the findings.

Question 17

What is a limitation of research into early attachment and later relationships in terms of correlation?

Answer 17

Research on early attachment and later relationships is often correlational, meaning it cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Other factors, such as temperament, could influence both early attachment and later relationship outcomes.