influence of early attachment on later relationships Flashcards
What is the internal working model?
A mental representation formed from a baby’s first relationship with their primary attachment figure
John Bowlby (1969) suggested this model acts as a template for future relationships.
How does a loving first attachment affect future relationships?
It leads to the assumption that relationships are meant to be loving and functional
This results in seeking out functional relationships and behaving appropriately within them.
What behaviors might a child display with a negative first attachment experience?
Struggling to form relationships or displaying insecure-avoidant or insecure-resistant behavior
These behaviors can manifest towards friends and partners.
What is the relationship between attachment type and childhood friendships?
Securely attached babies tend to form the best quality childhood friendships
Insecurely attached babies often face friendship difficulties (Kerns 1994).
How does attachment type predict bullying behavior?
Secure children are unlikely to be involved in bullying, insecure-avoidant children are likely victims, and insecure-resistant children are likely bullies
This was assessed in a study by Myron-Wilson and Smith (1998) involving 196 children.
What two major adult experiences are affected by internal working models?
Romantic relationships and parental relationships with their own children
These experiences are shaped by early attachment types.
What did the study by Hazan and Shaver (1987) focus on?
The relationship between romantic relationships and attachment styles
It provided insights into how early attachments influence adult relationships.
What were the findings of Gerard McCarthy’s study (1999) on adult relationships?
Securely attached babies had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships; insecure-resistant individuals faced friendship difficulties; insecure-avoidant individuals struggled with intimacy
This study assessed 40 adult women who were evaluated as babies.
How does an individual’s internal working model influence their parenting style?
It tends to determine their parenting style, leading to the passing of attachment types across generations
This is supported by research showing consistency in attachment classifications.
What was studied by Bailey et al. (2007) regarding mother-baby attachment?
The attachment of 99 mothers to their babies and their own mothers
It showed a majority had the same attachment classification to both their babies and mothers.
What is one strength of the research into attachment and later relationships?
Supporting evidence linking attachment to later development
Studies have shown that early attachment predicts later attachment, emotional well-being, and attachment to one’s own children.
What conclusion did reviews of evidence (e.g. Fearon and Roisman 2017) reach about early attachment?
Early attachment consistently predicts later attachment and emotional well-being
The relationship between early attachment type and later development varies by attachment type and aspect of development.
How does insecure-avoidant attachment affect later development?
Conveys fairly mild disadvantages
Insecure-avoidant attachment is less detrimental than disorganised attachment.
What is disorganised attachment associated with?
Strongly associated with later mental disorder
Disorganised attachment appears to seriously disadvantage children.
What did the Regensburg longitudinal study (Becker-Stoll et al. 2008) find regarding attachment continuity?
No evidence of continuity from early attachment to later development
The study followed 43 individuals from age one to sixteen.
What is a limitation of most research into the influence of attachment?
Early attachment is assessed retrospectively
Most studies rely on participants’ recollections of their relationships with parents.
What validity issues arise from retrospective studies?
Honesty and accurate perception of participants are required
It’s difficult to determine if the assessment is of early or adult attachment.
What is a confounding variable in studies of early attachment?
Parenting style or genetically-influenced personality
These factors may influence both attachment quality and later development.
What does the presence of confounding variables imply for conclusions about early attachment?
We can never be entirely sure if early attachment influences later development
Other factors may be at play that affect both attachment and development.
Fill in the blank: The measures of early attachment used in most studies may be confounded with other _______.
[factors]
This can lead to meaningless conclusions about the influence of early attachment.
What are childhood relationships?
Affiliations with other people in childhood, including friends and classmates, and with adults such as teachers.
Childhood relationships play a crucial role in social development.
What do adult relationships encompass?
Friendships, working relationships, relationships with romantic partners, and the person’s own children.
Adult relationships are shaped by early experiences and attachment styles.
What is the internal working model?
Our mental representations of the world, particularly our relationship to our primary attachment figure.
This model affects our future relationships by influencing our perceptions of what relationships are like.
True or False: The internal working model has no impact on future relationships.
False
The internal working model significantly influences how individuals perceive and engage in relationships.
Fill in the blank: The internal working model carries our perception of what _______ are like.
[relationships]
This perception is formed based on early interactions and attachments.
