Bowlby’s Internal Working Model (Attachment) Flashcards
Internal Working Model (type A and C)
this template will be the basis of our assumptions about all relationships we will seek out, and form. Our future relationships will mirror our original IWM. Securely attached babies are more likely to have positive future relationships and friendships.
Type A and C babies in future relationships (respectively):
• Too uninvolved or too emotionally close
• controlling and argumentative, fear and rejection
Relationships in later childhood
-Attachment type is associated with the quality of peer relationships in childhood: securely attached infants go on to form the best quality friendships while insecurely attached infants struggle (Kerns 1994)
-Myron-Wilson and Smith (1998): gave questionnaires to 196 children aged 7-11 from London. Found that insecure-avoidant infants are most likely to be bullied while insecure-resistant infants are most likely to be bullies.
McCarthy (1999)
40 women who were assessed as infants to establish early attachment type
• securely attached infants had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships
• Insecure-resistant had problems maintaining friendships whilst those classified as insecure-avoidant struggled with intimacy
(Hazan and Shaver (1987)- the influence of early attachments) Method
Conducted a ‘love quiz’ in a local newspaper. The quiz had two parts
1. Assessed the attachment type of each person with their parents
2. Questions asking about their current beliefs about romantic love
(Hazan and Shaver (1987)- the influence of early attachments) Results
The first 620 responses were analysed. They found there was a correlation between the type of childhood attachment and people’s later views on romantic love.
Secure children were more likely to have happy and trustworthy relationships.
Insecure-avoidant children ended up fearing intimacy and insecure-resistant children were more likely to be worried that they weren’t loved in their relationships.
56% were secure, 25% avoidant, 19% resistant
(Hazan and Shaver (1987)- the influence of early attachments) Conclusion
It was concluded that findings provided support for Bowlby’s internal working model - that early attachments do influence adult relationships.
(Hazan and Shaver (1987)- the influence of early attachments) Evaluation
• The quiz relied on people thinking back to their childhood,
which is not always accurate.
Additionally, the study used a volunteer sample, so a certain type of people might be more likely to respond.
Also people may have answered untruthfully to show themselves in a better light
• In 2003, the study was repeated which showed similar
results.
The Cycle of Privation
-Quinton et al 1984, 50 women who were institutionalised and 50 women who were not. Mothers who had faced privation as children were less likely to attach to their own children. This cycle then continues.
(Evaluation of IWM) Causation
just because there is a relationship between two factors, there isn’t necessarily a causal relaitonship
(Evaluation of IWM) Evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed
-McCarthy’s study provides support for continuity and therefore supports IWM
-Zimmerman 2000 assessed infant type and adolescent attachment to parents- there was no relationship
-Freud and Dann 1951 studied six children who were rescued after WWII- a ‘normal’ relationship and normal IQ scores
(Evaluation of IWM) Most studies have issues of validity
-interviews and questionnaires in later years cause validity issues
-is it correct to assume that we are honest, realistic, accurate and able to recall well
-relies on self report techniques
(Evaluation of IWM) Self report is conscious but IWM are not
-Bowlby 1969 argued the IWM is unconscious and we are not aware of it
-we rely on conscious understanding when completing self assessment
-we cannot describe our own IWM
(Evaluation of IWM) The influence of early attachment is probabilistic
Clarke and Clarke1998 describe the influence of infant attachment on later relationships as probabilistic. People are not doomed to always have bad relationships just because they had attachment problems. This could lead to people being pessimistic about the future, leading to relationship issues
