Internal Working Model

Question 1

Internal working model

Answer 1

• Bowlby argues that the child forms a mental representation of their early attachment relationship with primary caregivers
• this acts as a model for what relationships are like and future relationships will mirror them
• if the child is raised by a loving primary caregiver who responds to their needs they will have a secure attachment and view relationships as a positive and have more successful relationships
• however if their first relationship is with an caregiver who is unresponsive to their needs they are more likely to have insecure attachment and more problems forming relationships and may not behave appropriately when they are with them e.g being too controlling
• this mental representation of early attachment influences the nature of all their later childhood and adult relationships but also their relationship with their own children

Question 2

Childhood relationships

Answer 2

Attachment type is linked to the quality of peer relationships in later childhood. If a child has a secure attachment to their primary caregiver they are more likely to have better quality relationships with their peers. However if they have an insecure attachment to their primary caregiver they are more likely to have difficulties in making friends

Smith et al (1998) found that early attachment could predict bullying behavior with insecure avoidant children being most likely to be victims of bullying and insecure resistant child being most likely to be the bully

Question 3

Adult romantic relationships

Answer 3

• research has shown that the IWM can also influence adult relationships. Haden and shaver created a questionnaire (the love quiz) which was printed on newspaper to study persons adult attachment and their attachment in early childhood . THEY FOUND
• 56% of participants were securely attached as children. They were most likely to have positive and longer lasting romantic relationships with partners they felt and could trust
• 25% were seen insecure avoidant as children and these people reported more feelings of jealousy and feared intimacy
• 19% were classified as insecure resistant as children and these people feared being abandoned and can put too much pressure on their partner

They concluded that the patterns of attachment behavior are reflected in adult romantic relationships

Question 4

Relationships with own children

Answer 4

• an internal working model affects the ability to form good relationships with their own children. People base their parenting style on their internal working model so attachment tends to be passed on through family generations.

Bailey et al (2007) found that mothers tended to have the same attachment style with their child as they did with their own mother

Question 5

AO3

Answer 5

Research to support the influence of early attachments on later relationships was conducted by Harlow. Harlow separated monkeys from their mothers at birth and raised them in caged they therefore had no early attachments. Harlow found that monkeys found if very difficult to form relationships with other monkeys when they were older e.g they had difficulty mating and females were inadequate mothers. This supports the influence of early attachment on later relationships because it shows that having a negative early attachment can lead to negative relationships later with partners and own children

Question 6

AO3

Answer 6

Moreover bowlbys theory and research into the relationship between early attachment and later attachment could be argued to be socially sensitive. This is because it suggests that later childhood and adult relationship success and quality of their parenting are solely due to a persons early childhood attachment. It blames the parents for their future relationship failures which could have had a damaging effect on these relationships. This therefore raises ethical issues when explaining the influences of early attachment on later relationships