Influence of Early Attachment Flashcards
What does the Internal working model state about the influence of early attachment into later relationships?
First relationship that an infant forms, which is the primary attachment figure, forms a mental representation of intimate relationships and acts as a template which contains what to expect and how to behave in relationships.
What does the continuity hypothesis state about the influence of early attachment into later relationships?
states that the quality of a child’s first attachment is crucial because the template formed will affect the quality of future relationships. A child whose first experience is that of a loving relationship with a reliable carer (positive, secure attachment) will assume that all attachments are of a similar nature. Whereas a child whose first experience of attachment is of a negative relationship (negative, insecure) will struggle to form relationships in the future.
WHO TO INCLUDE IF THE QUESTION MENTIONS ADULT RELATIONSHIPS
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Conclusion:
Early attachment type does in fact influence nature of future relationships
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Method:
- Analysed replies to a love quiz posted in an American Newspaper
- The quiz had 3 sections: 1. Current/most important relationship, 2. General love experiences (e.g number of partners), 3. Early attachment type with parents
What were the 3 sections of the quiz:
- Current/most important relationship
- General love experiences (e.g number of partners)
- Early attachment type with parents
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Results:
- Adults securely attached in childhood typically have loving and long-lasting romantic relationships.
- Insecure-avoidant attachments reported jealousy and fear of intimacy
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Extra result (only needed if study is used in a short answer question) – percentage of attachments:
- Based on the responses from the newspaper:
56% - adults secure
25% - adults insecure avoidant
19% - adults secure resistant
WHO TO INCLUDE IF THE QUESTION MENTIONS CHILDHOOD RELATIONSHIPS:
Kerns (1994)
Smith et al (1998)
Kerns - method and findings:
Examined the relationship between attachment type and quality of peer relationships in childhood. He found that the type of attachment formed is associated with the quality of peer relationships within childhood. Securely attached infants go on to form the best childhood friendships, whereas insecurely attached infants tend to have friendship difficulties.
Smith et al - methods and findings:
Bullying behaviour can also be linked with attachment type. Found that securely attached children were very unlikely to be involved in bullying. Insecure avoidant children were most likely to be victims and insecure resistant were more likely to be bullies.
A strength of research into the influence of early attachment on later relationships is that it has practical relationships.
For example, our understanding that early attachments have a long-lasting impact has led to adoption agencies making it a priority to try to place children with families at the youngest possible age.
SB: It would give children the best chance to build a positive IWM and thus form strong attachments with the new caregiver and therefore go to have healthy and positive relationships in the future with peers and their own children, as the concept of IWM would suggest .
Therefore the research increases in utility.
A weakness of research into the influence of early attachment is that there is refuting evidence.
For example, in the case of the Koluchova twins (1976), the twin brothers were isolated from the age of 18 months to 7 years as their step mother kept them locked in a cupboard. However, when they were given the care of two loving adults, the twins recovered fully and went on to having loving families of their own.
WB: according to the IWM, because they had problems fixing initial attachments, this should have led to issues with later adult relationships. However, as they grew to have healthy adult relationships and loving families of their own, it shows that they were not affected by their negative childhood experiences in the way the research would suggest.
This decreases the validity of our understanding of how early attachments affect later relationships.
A weakness of research into early attachment is that the research is correlational.
Therefore, this research cannot establish a cause and effect relationship and claim that the success or failure of future relationships is caused by the quality of our early attachment. Problems with future relationships can be due to other factors like temperament (personality). According to Kagan, those with an inhibited temperament can be timid/shy and can have social anxiety as adolescents, which could affect their ability to form future relationships.
WB: shows early attachment type is only part of the explanation when attempting to explain the different factors that influence later relationships.
This decreases validity of the research and our understanding of the influence of early attachment on later relationships.
A weakness of research into the influence of early attachment is that it is deterministic.
The internal working model suggests that early experiences have a fixed effort on later adult relationships and children who are insecurely attached are certain not to experience satisfactory relationships in their adult life. However, Clarke and Clarke (1998) have argued that problems with attachment in early life do not guarantee difficult future relationships, they just increase the risk of them.
WB: research does not consider how humans are able to use free will to reject the influence of negative early attachment. Individuals have more conscious control over the success of future relationships than IWM claims as we may make an active effort to have good adult relationships even if we had poor childhood ones.
Therefore, the research leads to a negative outlook on behaviour as it focuses on the lack of free will on future relationships.
