influence of early attachment on later relationships Flashcards
explain the internal working model
Bowlby suggested that attachment to a primary attachment figure provides the child with a mutual representation of this relationship, which acts as a template for future relationships. Therefore the quality of a childs first attachment is crucial.
what is the continuity hypothesis
later relationships are likely to be a continuation of early attachment types
Hazan and Shaver study of the continuity hypothesis on romantic relationships - procedure
Developed a simple questionnaire to measure the continuity hypothesis.
Analysed 620 replies to a love quiz printed in an American local newspaper.
Quiz was in 3 sections: current/most important relationship; general love experience; attachment type
Hazan and Shaver study - results
Found a positive correlation between attachment type and love experience
Those with secure attachment types were most likely to have good and longer lasting romantic experiences
The insecure-avoidant attachment types showed jealousy and fear of intimacy
Insecure-resistant fall in love easy
weakness of Hazan and Shaver (validity)
using questionnaire is a self-report technique. has limited validity because they depend on the respondents being honest and having a realistic view of their own relationships.
Also the assessment of their infant attachment relies on the accuracy of memory, so probably lacks validity because of recollection issues.
deterministic?
Could be argued that saying a persons future relationships are determined by childhood attachments, however this is not definitive, they just have a greater risk of problems. becomes too pessimistic about peoples futures.
association does not mean causality
third environmental factor of the parenting style has an effect on the attachment type and the childs ability to form relationships.
Also the childs temparement may play a role.
