Influence Of Early Attachment On Later Relationships

Question 1

Internal working model

Answer 1

• I.W.M acts acts as a template for future childhoods and adult relationships
• baby’s who first experience is a loving relationship with A figure -> seek out functional relationships
• child with bad experience of first A -> brings those experiences in later relationships
  … may struggle in / forming relationships or not behave well in them - display insecure-resistant / avoidant behaviours towards friends and partners

Question 2

Relationships in childhood

Answer 2

• A type associated with quality of relationships in childhood
  … securely A babies from the best quality childhood friendships vs insecurely A which have difficulties
• bullying beh can be predicted by A type - Wilson & Smith
  . Assessed A type and bullying, using questionnaires in 196 children aged 7-11
  . Secure = unlikely to be involved in bullying, insecure-avoidant = most likely to be victims, insecure-resistant = most likely to be bullies

Question 3

Relationships in adulthood

Answer 3

• I.W.M effect romantic + parental relationships in adulthood
  McCarthy; studied 40 adult women, assessed when babies to see A type
  . Ones assessed as securely A had the best adult friendships + relationships
  . Insecure-resistant had problems maintaining friendships
  . Insecure-avoidant struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships
• majority of women in Bailey’s 99 mothers study had the same A classification both to their babies and their own mothers (A type tends to be passed down generations)

Question 4

Evaluate the research into attachment and later relationships - strengths

Answer 4

STRENGTH:
Supporting evidence; disorganised attachement is strongly associated with later mental health disorder
- early A predicts later A, emotional wellbeing and A to own children
- means that secure A as a baby appears to convey advantages for future dev
COUNTERPOINT:
Not all evidence supports the existence of close links between early A and later dev
- one study; 43 individuals, at 16 yrs A was assessed using adult A interview, no evidence of continuity
No clear to what extent the quality of early A really predicts later development

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

LIMITATION:
Early A is assessed retrospectively; most research not longitudinal, instead researchers ask adolescent / adult pts questions about relationship with parents, identify A from this
- causes 2 validity problems:
1. Asking questions relies on honesty from pts. 2. Hard to know whether what is being assessed is early A or adult A… means measures of early A may be confounded

LIMITATION:
Confounding variables; associations between A quality and later development may be affected by confounding variables
E.g. parenting style may be caused alternatively by genetically-influenced personality
We can never be entirely sure that it is early A and not other factors that influence later dev.