Influence Of Early Attachment On Later Relationships

Question 1

what does the internal working model say about future relationships?

Answer 1

• baby’s first relationship with the primary attachment figure leads to a mental representation of this relationship
• internal working model acts as a template for future childhood and adult relationships

Question 2

what effect does attachment have on relationships in childhood?

Answer 2

• attachment type is associated with quality of peer relationships in childhood
• securely attached babies - go on to form the best quality childhood friendships
• insecurely attached - friendship difficulties
  = Kerns

Question 3

who predicted the bullying behaviour using attachment type?

Answer 3

• Myron-Wilson and Smith

Question 4

what did Myron-Wilson and Smith do?

Answer 4

• assessed attachment type and bullying involvement using standard questionnaires in 196 children aged 7-11 from London

Question 5

what did Myron-Wilson and Smith say about attachment type and bullying?

Answer 5

• secure = unlikely to be involved in bullying
• insecure-avoidant = most likely to be victims
• insecure-resistant = most likely to be the bullies

Question 6

what adult experiences does the internal working model affect?

Answer 6

• romantic relationships
• parental relationships with own children

Question 7

who were the researchers involved in study on romantic relationships and attachment?

Answer 7

• Hazan and Shaver
• McCarthy

Question 8

what did Hazan and Shaver do?

Answer 8

• analysed 620 replies to the ‘love quiz’ printed in an American local newspaper
• quiz had 3 sections; current/most important relationship, general love experiences(e.g. number of partners), attachment type by asking respondents to choose which of 3 statements best described their feelings

Question 9

what were the findings of Hazan and Shaver?

Answer 9

• 56% of respondents = securely attached
• 25% = insecure avoidant
• 19% = insecure resistant
• secure: more likely to have a good and longer-lasting romantic experience
• avoidant: reveal jealousy and fear of intimacy
  = shows attachment does reflect in romantic relationships

Question 10

what did McCarthy do?

Answer 10

• studied 40 adult women who were assessed when they were babies to establish early attachment type

Question 11

what did McCarty find?

Answer 11

• securely attached babies = best adult friendships and romantic relationships
• insecure-resistant = problems maintaining friendships
• insecure-avoidant = struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships

Question 12

what do people base their parenting style on?

Answer 12

internal working model, so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations of the family
- Bailey et al = majority of women had same attachment type to both babies and their mother (considered attachments of 99 mothers to their babies and to their own mothers using an adult attachment interview)