Influence of early attachment Flashcards
What is Bowlby’s concept of an internal working model?
Mental model of the world which allows individuals to predict and control their environment. It is much like a schema. For attachment, it relates to a person’s expectations about relationships.
Who investigated the influence of early attachment (internal working model) in the 1980s?
Hazan and Shaver.
How did Hazan and Shaver investigate the influence of the internal working model of attachment?
Love quiz placed in newspaper. Questions about: previous & current attachment/relationships and attitudes towards love. Twice as many female responses.
What findings/trends/correlations did they find?
Percentage of different attachment types similar to those in Ainsworth SS. Positive correlation between attachment type and love experiences. Secure = longer, healthier relationships and positive attitudes towards love.
What behaviours are influenced by the internal working model of attachment?
Childhood friendships. Parenting (Harlow). Romantic relationships (Hazan & Shaver). Mental health (attachment disorder in DSM).
(AO3) Why is Hazan and Shaver’s research being correlational an issue?
Does not establish causality. May have been affected by third variables such as temperament. Attachment experiences do not necessarily cause attachment styles, they may simply be related. Distinct affects of IWM difficult to identify
(AO3) Why does the study lack external validity?
Cultural bias. Purely Western - difficult to generalise to other cultures. Attachment different in collectivist (Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg). IWM may work differently. Lack of population (external) validity.
(AO3) What is the issue with using self-report techniques here?
Social desirability bias - conscious or unconscious. Memory recall from childhood may be inaccurate or exaggerated. Unreliable data.
(AO3) The study really seriously lacks external validity. Identify another reason why this is the case.
Volunteer sample in newspaper. Sample bias. Confounding variables e.g. volunteers maybe more likely to have better or worse attachments. Difficult to generalise. Lack of population validity again. IWM importance still ambiguous.
