Attachment Booklet 8: Influence of early attachment Flashcards
What is the internal working model?
According to Bowlby’s theory, when we form our primary attachment we also make a mental representation of what a relationship is (IWM), we then use this as a template for all other relationships in the future
What does the IWM imply?
That we should find a relationship between the quality of the primary attachment and later attachments, which is known as the continuity hypothesis
According to Kern, securely attached infants tend to do what?
Form the best quality friendships in childhood
According to Kern, insecure avoidant/ resistant children tend to have what?
Friendship difficulties
How has early attachment been linked to bullying behaviour in childhood?
Insecure avoidant children more likely to be the victims of bullying
Insecure resistant more likely to be the bullies
Secure children were likely to not be involved at all
What does bullying show us about influence of early attachment on childhood relationships?
It’s better to have a secure early attachment as this is associate with the best quality friendships and no involvement in bullying
What was the aim of Hazan and Shaver’s study?
They wanted to see if there was a correlation between the infant’s attachment type and their future approach to romantic relationships
What was the method of Hazan and Shaver’s study?
-To test a “love quiz” which asked questions about current attachment experiences, and attachment history
-The love quiz was printed in local newspapers and readers were asked to submit response
-Hazan and Shaver analysed the first 620 replies sent in from people (205 male, 415 female)
What was the results of Hazan and Shavers study?
-They found 56% had secure attachments, 25% had insecure avoidant, 19% had insecure resistant
-Strong correlation between attachment type and adult romantic relationships
-Securely attached more likely to have a good long lasting romantic experience
-Those with insecure avoidant attachments jealous and fear intimacy
-Insecure resistant experience love as an obsession
What influence might the IWM have on parenting?
-IWM may affect the child’s ability to parent their own children
-People tend to base their own parenting style on style they had in childhood
-Harlow found monkeys with poor attachment as babies had difficulties with parenting
Therefore, what does early attachment have to do with parenting ability?
It is a good predictor of parenting ability, good parents will have had a secure attachment, while insecurely attached infants will go on to be less responsive to their child’s needs (as said by Quinton)
What are the evaluations of influence on early attachments?
😒Not scientific (Abstract idea IWM)
😒Correlational
😒Retrospective data (may be inaccurate)
😒/😊Deterministic (Allows us to predict/ignores free will)
😒Questionnaires (social desirability)
