Attachement 7 | The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships

Question 1

AO1 What is the internal working model

Answer 1

The internal working model is a mental representation of early attachment experiences formed during infancy It acts as a template for future relationships influencing expectations trust and interactions with others

Question 2

AO1 How does early attachment influence childhood relationships

Answer 2

According to Bowlby children who form secure attachments develop positive expectations for relationships They are more likely to display social competence and empathy while insecurely attached children may struggle with peer relationships due to trust issues or social withdrawal

Question 3

AO1 How does early attachment influence adult romantic relationships

Answer 3

Hazan and Shaver’s research suggests that attachment type in childhood predicts romantic relationship patterns Securely attached individuals tend to have longer lasting relationships while insecurely attached individuals may experience jealousy and fear of intimacy

Question 4

AO1 How does the internal working model affect parenting

Answer 4

The internal working model influences parenting styles Securely attached individuals are more likely to form strong attachments with their own children while those with insecure attachments may struggle with emotional availability and responsiveness

Question 5

AO1 What was the method of Hazan and Shaver 1987

Answer 5

Hazan and Shaver conducted a love quiz published in an American newspaper Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their childhood attachment experiences and their current romantic relationships

620 participants

Question 6

AO1 What were the results of Hazan and Shaver 1987

Answer 6

They found that 56 percent of participants were securely attached 25 percent were avoidant and 19 percent were resistant Securely attached individuals had more stable and trusting relationships while avoidant individuals struggled with intimacy

Question 7

AO1 What was the conclusion of Hazan and Shaver 1987

Answer 7

Their findings support Bowlby’s internal working model suggesting that early attachment experiences influence adult relationship patterns

Question 8

AO3 What are the strengths and weaknesses of Hazan and Shaver 1987

Answer 8

A strength is that the study supports the internal working model with empirical evidence A weakness is that it relies on self-report data which may be biased or inaccurate due to social desirability or memory issues

Question 9

AO3 What research supports the influence of early attachment on relationships

Answer 9

Hazan and Shaver’s love quiz found that secure attachment in childhood was linked to healthier adult romantic relationships supporting the internal working model

Question 10

AO3 Why is retrospective data a limitation in attachment research

Answer 10

Many studies rely on adults recalling their early attachment experiences which may be inaccurate or biased reducing the validity of findings

Question 11

AO3 How does the deterministic nature of attachment theory limit its validity

Answer 11

Attachment theory is overly deterministic as not all insecurely attached individuals have poor relationships Positive life experiences can lead to secure relationships

Question 12

AO3 Why is correlational research a limitation for studying early attachment influences

Answer 12

Much of the research is correlational meaning it does not establish causation Other factors such as temperament or life experiences may explain relationship patterns rather than early attachment alone