influence of early attachment on later relationships

Question 1

AO1: what is the internal working model and the continuity hypothesis

Answer 1

internal working model- mental representation of our relationship with our primary caregiver that becomes a template for future relationships

continuity hypothesis- The idea that early relationships with caregivers predict later relationships in adulthood.

Question 2

relationships in childhood study

Answer 2

found that securely attached infants are more inclined to have good quality peer relationships during childhood whilst infants with insecure attachment types will have difficulty making and maintaining friendships

Question 3

Love quiz study:

Answer 3

aim: testing the internal working model to see if the attachment type formed as an infant influences future relationships
procedure: volunteer sample
findings: positive correlation found between early attachment type and experiences in love with those reporting secure attachment snd a lasting romantic relationship. Those who reported insecure attachment were more likely to have shorter relationships

Question 4

AO3: limitation- only correlational

however- correlational data tells us there is a strong link

Answer 4

P- issue is that the it is only correlational data
E/E- whilst there is an association, this does not determine causality. A researcher found that the correlations were not always strong positive ones either, with correlation coefficients ranging from +.10 to +.50
L- means the correlational research is not valid
HOWEVER,
the data does tell us how strong the link between early relationships and later ones. This suggests that early relationships do have some sort of effect on later ones.

Question 5

AO3: limitation- methodological issues (self report & forgetting)
strength- standardised questions

Answer 5

P- methodological issues with assessing attachment type retrospectively.
E/E- the love quiz relies on self report from the participants about their memories from infancy and childhood. Recollection from the past is likely impaired and any answers provided may lack accuracy.
L- this lowers the internal validity of the findings
HOWEVER,
the questions used were standardised, this means the study can be repeated to check for consistency, which suggests the method is reliable.

Question 6

AO3: limitation- ethical issues

Answer 6

P- the studies breach ethical guidelines
E/E- participants may experience psychological harm from finding out the type of attachment they are.
L- this is a limitation of the research into the influence of early attachment on later relationships as the participants may be harmed

Question 7

limitation- mixed research

Answer 7

P- mixed research in determining continuity of attachment type from childhood to adulthood.
E- e.g. Zimmerman found that childhood attachments did not predict later adult relationships, instead a major life event in childhood such as a witnessing their parents messy divorce. Another researcher found that individuals changed attachment style between partners, suggesting that having a securely attached childhood did not exclude the possibility of later insecure relationships and vise versa
L- these findings do not support the role of the internal working model being important in the development of childhood and adult relationships, casting doubt on the emphasis placed on this concept by Bowlby.