Early Attachment On Later Relationships

Question 1

Describe what is meant by the internal working model.

Answer 1

Bowlby: primary attachment relationship provides a template for later relationships.

Question 2

Describe Kerns research into relationships in later childhood

Answer 2

Securely attached children have better friendships

Question 3

Describe Myron- Wilson and Smith’s research into relationships in later childhood

Answer 3

Insecure avoidant children more likely victims of bullying.
Insecure resistant children more likely bullies themselves

Question 4

Describe Mcarthy research into relationships with romantic partners

Answer 4

Securely attached adults have better relationships with partners and friends.
Insecure resistant have problems with friends
Insecure avoidant struggled with intimacy

Question 5

Describe Hazan and Shavers research into romantic relationships.

Answer 5

Love quiz in US newspapers. Found secure responders more likely to have good long lasting romantic relationships. Avoidant had jealousy problems and feared intimacy.

Question 6

Describe Bailey et al’s research into parental relationships

Answer 6

IWM affects child’s ability to parent own children. Attachment passed through families.
99 mothers to babies and own mothers. Used SS. Mother’s attachment style matched their mother’s and their child’s.

Question 7

One limitation (mixed evidence) (AO3)

Answer 7

Mixed evidence on continuity
Eg. Zimmerman et al: found little relationship between quality of attachment and later attachment. Not what we would expect if IWM was important in development.

Question 8

Lacks validity (AO3)

Answer 8

Most studies asses infant attachment by retrospective self report which lacks validity as it relies heavily on accurate relationships.

Question 9

Correlation does not mean causation (AO3)

Answer 9

Eg. Parenting style may have a direct effect on both attachment and child’s ability to form relationships with others or even the child’s temperament.

Limitation of bowlby and IWM