Influence of early attachments on later relationships

Question 1

What is the internal working model?

Answer 1

Mental representations of the world- contains our perceptions of what future relationships look like

Question 2

What determines an individual’s internal working model for future relationships?

Answer 2

Bowlby- a baby’s 1st relationship with a primary attachment figure

Question 3

What is attachment type in childhood associated with?

Answer 3

Quality of peer relationships

Question 4

What did Kerns say about the quality of peer relationships in childhood?

Answer 4

• Secure attachment: form best quality childhood friendships
• Insecure attachment: friendship difficulties

Question 5

What did Wilson and Smith investigate, and how did they do it?

Answer 5

• Assessed attachment type and involvement in bullying
• Used standard questionnaires- for 196 children aged 7-11 from London

Question 6

What did Wilson and Smith find?

Answer 6

• Secure= no involvement in bullying
• Insecure avoidant= most likely to be bullying victims
• Insecure resistant= most likely to be bullies

Question 7

What did Hazan and Shaver investigate, and how did they do it?

Answer 7

• Association between childhood attachment and adult relationships
• Used a ‘love quiz’ to assess romatic relationships and attachment
• 620 answers were analysed
• 3 sections: current relationship, general love experiences, which statement fits your opinion

Question 8

What did Hazan and Shaver find?

Answer 8

• 56% secure
• 25% insecure avoidant
• 19% insecure avoidant

Question 9

What is the link between childhood attachment and adult romantic relationships?

Answer 9

• Secure= strong, long lasting
• Insecure avoidant= jealousy, fear of intimacy
• Insecure resistant= controlling, aggressive

Question 10

What did McCarthy investigate, and how did she do it?

Answer 10

• 40 women, assessed using strange situation as babies (longitudinal)

Question 11

What did McCarthy find?

Answer 11

• Secure= best adult friendships and romantic relationships
• Insecure avoidant= struggle with intimacy in romance
• Insecure resistant= problems maintaining friendships

Question 12

What did Bailey find about the internal working model?

Answer 12

• Internal working model affects the ability to parent
• Assessed attachment in 99 mothers- to babies and own mothers
• Most women had the same attachment classification to their baby and mother

Question 13

What are the strengths of research?

Answer 13

• Research support
• (Opportunities)

Question 14

What are the limitations of research?

Answer 14

• Conflicting research support
• Validity issues with retrospective studies
• Confounding variables

Question 15

Strength:
I- Research support

Answer 15

D- Fearon and Roisman reviewed studies, and concluded early attachment is consistent in predicting later development. Strength of relationship depends on attachment type and aspect of later development
E- Means secure attachment conveys advantages for development

Question 16

Limitation:
I- Conflicting research support

Answer 16

D- Regensburg longitudinal study (Becker-Stoll) followed 43 babies from 1 year old. At 16 years, attachment was assessed using the adult attachment interview. There was no evidence of continuity
E- It is unclear to what extent quality of early attachment predicts later development

Question 17

Limitation:
I- Validity issues with retrospective studies

Answer 17

D- Most research is not longitudinal. Participant is asked about relationship to parents to determine attachment, which relies on honesty and accuracy. Hard to know if it is early attachment that is being assessed
E- Means measures of early attachment may have been confounded, so are meaningless

Question 18

Limitation:
I- Confounding variables

Answer 18

D- Some studies do assess attachment in infancy so may be valid. But, other studies may have validity issues, due to confounding variables. E.g: parenting style may influence attachment quality
E- Means we cannot be sure it is early attachment that influences later development, and not another factor

Question 19

Strength:
I- Provides opportunities

Answer 19

D- Knowing someone’s attachment type means we have the opportunity to intervene and help development. E.g: we know insecure avoidant= fear of intimacy, so we can prevent this (i.e. therapy)
E- Practical application to improve outcomes