Influnce Of Early Attachment On Later Relationships A03

Question 1

Limitation - Evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed

Answer 1

• Internal working models predict continuity between the secunty of an intant’s attachment and that of its later relationships, - Evidence for this continuity is mixed. Some studies, like that by McCarthy, do appear to support continuity and so provide evidence to support internal working models.
• Not all studies, however, support internal working models - For example, Zimmerman (2000) assessed infant attachment type and adolescent attachment to parents. There was very little relationship between quality of infant and adolescent attachment.
• This is a problem because it is not what we would expect if internal working models were important in development.

Question 2

Limitation - most studies have issues of validity

Answer 2

• Most studies of attachment to primary caregiver and other significant people do not make use of the Strange Situation but assess infant-parent attachment by means of interview or questionnaire, not in infancy but years later.
• this creates validity issues.
• First, assessment relies on self-report techniques like interviews or questionnaires to assess the quality of those relationships.
• The validity of questionnaires and interviews is limited because they depend on respondents being honest and having a realistic view of their own relationships.
• Looking back in adulthood at one’s early relationship to a primary attachment figure probably lacks validity because it relies on accurate recollections.

Question 3

Limitation - Association does not mean causality

Answer 3

• In studies where infant attachment type is associated with the quality of later relationships the implication is that infant attachment type causes the attachment.
• However, there are alternative explanations for the continuity that often exists between infant and later relationships.
• A third environmental factor such as parenting style might have a direct effect on both attachment and the child’s ability to form relationships with others.
• Alternatively the child’s temperament may influence both infant attachment and the quality of later relationships.
• This is a limitation because it is counter to Bowlby’s view that the internal working model caused these later outcomes.