Influence of Early Attachment on Later Relationships

Question 1

What is an internal working model?

Answer 1

A schema based on a person’s expectations of relationships as a result of their attachment with their primary caregiver

Question 2

What are 3 types of relationships that can be impacted on?

Answer 2

1 - romantic
2 - childhood
3 - relationship with own child as parents

Question 3

Which study has shown a link between romantic relationships and early attachment?

Answer 3

Hazan and Shaver (1987)

Question 4

What 3 things did Hazan and Shaver’s ‘Love Quiz’ assess?

Answer 4

1 - current/most important relationship
2 - attitudes towards love
3 - current and childhood attachments

Question 5

What were the findings of Hazan and Shaver’s study?

Answer 5

• a positive correlation between attachment type and experiences of love
• secure = romantic relationships lasted 10 years
• insecure-resistant = 5 years
• insecure-avoidant = 6 years

Question 6

2 studies that show a link between childhood relationships and early attachment

Answer 6

1 - Sroufe (2005) - Minnesota parent-child study
2 - Myron-Wilson and Smith (1998)

Question 7

Minnesota parent-child study (Sroufe 2005)

Answer 7

• followed ptpts from infancy to late adolescence
• securely attached infants - highest rated for social competence, less isolated and more popular in later childhood

Question 8

Myron-Wilson and Smith (1998)

Answer 8

• assessed children (7-11) from London using questionnaires
• secure = less likely to be involved in bullying
• insecure-resistant = more likely to be bullies
• insecure-avoidant = more likely to be bullied

Question 9

Which study shows a link between poor parenting and early attachment?

Answer 9

Bailey (2007)

Question 10

Bailey (2007) procedure

Answer 10

• assessed 99 mothers with 1-year old baby on quality of attachment using Strange Situation
• also quality of attachment of mothers with their own mothers when they were a child, using interview

Question 11

Bailey (2007) findings

Answer 11

Mothers who had poor attachments with their own mothers = more likely to have poor attachments with their own child

Question 12

Strength - interventions

Answer 12

• understanding led to interventions who those with poor quality early attachments

Question 13

Strength - research support

Answer 13

• McCarthy (1999) - found that securely attached individuals had the best friendships and relationships
• c: Zimmerman (2000) - longitudinal study of German children, assessed by Strange situation then interviewed at 16
• life events were more impactful than infant attachments

Question 14

Limitation - correlation

Answer 14

• cannot establish a cause and effect relationship
• later love styles could be caused by something different

Question 15

Limitation - use of interviews and questionnaires

Answer 15

• depends on the respondent being honest and having a realistic view of their own relationships
• requires them to be retrospective which may be inaccurate