Lesson 12 - Influence of Early Attachment on Adult Relationships Flashcards
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory (L12)
Argued infants have one special emotional bond - monotropy
Often with biological mother
Important as it uses this relationship to form a mental view of relationships - internal working model
Secure attached have positive internal working model means current, future and romantic relaitonships are positive
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory (L12)
Continuity Hypothesis
Proposes individuals who are securely attached in infancy continue to be socially and emotionally competent
Due to a secure childhood leads to a positive working model
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory Evaluation Points (L12)
Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
Socially Sensitive
Tizard and Hodges (1989)
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory Evaluation
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) Multiple Attachments
Negative
Suggests multiple attachments are more common in babies than monotropy
Found that by 18 months only 13% of infants had only one person they were attached to
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory Evaluation
Socially Sensitive
Negative
Feminists pointed out idea of monotropy is socially sensitive
Places terrible burden of responsibility on mothers setting them up to take blame for anything that goes wrong in their child’s life
Also puts pressure on mothers to stay home and give up their careers
Bowlby also underestimated role of father - saw father’s role as primarily economic
Outdated sexist view
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory Evaluation
Tizard and Hodges (1989) Critical Period
Negative
Found children who never formed attachments by four and were adopted could still form attachments to their new adopted parents
This goes against idea of critical period before two years of age during which an attachment must form or never will
Hazan and Shaver (1987)
Hazan and Shaver designed a study to test the connection between a person’s infant attachment style, their internal working model and their adult attachment style
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Procedure
Placed a Love Quiz in the Rocky Mountian News
Quiz asked questioned about:
- Relationship to parents - identifiy infant attachment styles
- Attitudes towards love - assess internal working model
- Current relationship experiences - adult attachment style
Analysed 620 responses, (205m and 415f)
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Findings
When analysing adult attachment style, found the prevalence of adult attachment styles were similar to infant styles
56% secure, 25% insecure avoidant and 19% secure resistant
Suggests most have same attachment styles as when infants
Found those with a positive internal working model tended to be securely attached adults
Positive correlation between adult attachment styles and love experiences
Securely described love as happy, friendly and trusting
Emphasised being able to accept and support partner
Relationships - secure 10 years, avoidant 6, resistant 5
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Evaluation Points
Fraley (2002)
Third Variable
Memories
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Evaluation
Fraley (2002)
Negative
Several other studies failed to find strong correlation between infant attachment styles and adult attachment styles
Conducted review of 27 samples where infants were assessed in infancy and reassessed
Found correlations ranging from 0.5 to as low as 0.1
Thus study is unreliable
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Evaluation
Third Variable
Negative
Correlational rather than experimental thus cause and effect cannot be determined
Impossible to say infant attachment styles determines adult attachment styles
Could be that there is a third variable that affects both such as a person’s innate temperament
Hazan and Shaver (1987) Evaluation
Memories
Negative
Study relies on participants’ memories about their early lives in order to assess infant attachment style
Such recollecitons are likely to be flawed because memories of the past are not always accurate
Thus study is not valid
