Childhood (adolescent) Flashcards
BOWLBY- stated attachment theory as evolutionary theory- early relationships affect those that are formed in later life. Continuity hypothesis.
BELSKY- if attachment type was only been for the individual to survive, it wouldn’t have evolved. Natural selection is not only to survive, it’s to reproduce and survive.
Attachment theory proposes that childhood attachment types would influence adult relationships.
HAZAN AND SHAVER- asked people via quiz- experiences with romantic relationships and to describe their parental partnership relationship with a list of adjectives.
Strong correlation between childhood and adult attachment type, supporting the theory.
Those with secure types lasted twice as long as insecure in a relationship.
:( self report- volunteer sample- participants more likely to respond with demand characteristics- lowering IV.
:( retrospective- asking questionnaire for data linking back to childhood- relies on memory- not reliable- making research unscientific.
FENNEYS- major life events could alter a child’s attachment type.
HAMILTON- found that children could move from being classed as secure to insecure when major life events took place in their lives.- making it more difficult to compare childhood attachment type with adult relationship.
BUT- been a link found between insensitive care giving and attachment disorders. So early experiences are important but research suggests that some effects can be reversed with sensitive subsequent care.
:( deterministic- as they state that childhood styles determine how an adult behaves in a relationship- so simplistic- fails to acknowledge free will and that adult humans can change their behaviour.
:( culturally biased- haven’t yet attempted to research whether childhood relationship styles in non western cultures have an impact on adult relationships- lowering EV.
ADOLESCENCE- MADSEN- looked at the effects of dating behaviour on adolescence (15-17yr) on adult relationship (20-21yr). Found the moderate/ low dating frequency predicted poorer quality relationships. Could be down to the maladaptive behaviour.
:( data is retrospective- found no effect on romantic relationship age 20 on future ones 30yr. No consistency, lowering IV.
:( deterministic and reductionist- fails to acknowledge the interaction between family and the peer group.
