Lesson 8- Influence of Early attachment on later relationships

Question 1

What was Bowlby’s concept of the internal working model?

Answer 1

Internal working model- schema for what relationships should entail
- 1st attachment 👶 forms-> learning what relationships are, how partners in relationship behave-> predict 🏃‍♂‍ of other people in future

Question 2

Why is the quality of the 1st relationship so important?

Answer 2

Quality of relationship crucial- acts as template for & affects future relationships

• Loving 🥰 1st attachment = functional relationships
• Bad 👎 1st relationship = struggle to form relationships/inappropriate behaviour

Question 3

What is Bowlby’s idea of an internal working similar to?

Answer 3

The idea of a schema as like with schemas, the internal working model involves having expectations about certain (relationships in the case of the internal working model but events etc for schemas)

Question 4

Is there research support for Bowlby’s prediction of continuities between early attachment experiences & later social & emotional 🏃‍♂‍?

Answer 4

Yes there is:
Prior and Glaser (2006)- longitudinal study- supported theory
- Secure attachment-> ➕ outcomes (⬇️ emotional dependence, ambition & interpersonal (relationship) harmony)
- Avoidant attachment-> ➖ outcomes (aggressiveness 😡)
- Resistant attachment-> ➖ outcomes (⬆️ anxiety & withdrawn 🏃‍♂‍- avoid unusual situations, people, place etc)

Question 5

Which psychologist studied the internal working model & when did they do so?

Answer 5

Hazan & Shaver (1987)

Question 6

What was the method of Hazan & Shaver’s internal working model study?

Answer 6

1) Placed ‘Love Quiz’ in 🇺🇸 small-town newspaper (Rocky Mountain ⛰ News)
2) Quiz asked Q about current attachment experiences & attachment history to identify current & 👶hood attachment types
3) Questionnaire ALSO asked attitudes towards love 💕 (assessment of internal working model)

• Sample 1- 620 responses- 👨 & 👩 aged 14-82
• Sample 2- 108 students- 👨 & 👩- answered additional Q focussing ⬆️ on ‘self’ side of mental model (✖️ partner) & Q measuring loneliness

Question 7

What percentage of respondents were securely attached?

Answer 7

56%- both samples

Question 8

What percentage of respondents identified as having an insecure avoidant attachment?

Answer 8

23%- (sample 1)

25%- (sample 2)

Question 9

What percentage of respondents identified as having an insecure resistant attachment?

Answer 9

19%- (sample 1)

20%- (sample 2)

Question 10

How did those with a secure attachment respond?

Answer 10

• Find it easy getting close to others
• Comfortable depending on them & having them depend on me
• ✖️ worried about being abandoned or someone getting close to me

Question 11

How did those with a insecure avoidant attachment respond?

Answer 11

• Uncomfortable being close to others
• Difficult to depend on them
• Nervous when anyone gets close
• Love 💕 partners want me to be ⬆️ intimate than I feel comfortable being

Question 12

How did those with a insecure resistant attachment respond?

Answer 12

• Others reluctant to get as close as I’d like
• Worried my partner ✖️ love me/won’t stay with me
• Want to merge completely with another person- desire scares other ppl awa

Question 13

What were the key findings of Hazan & Shaver’s internal working model study (about all 3 attachment types)?

Answer 13

• Both samples- securely attached described most important 💕 relationships ever had as ‘happy, friendly & trusting’- pps had longer lasting relationships & if married ✖️ likely to divorce
• Securely attached pps- expressed belief in lasting 💕- found others trustworthy
• Insecure-avoidant pps- ⬆️ doubtful about existence/durability of romantic 💕- ✖️ need 💕 partners to be 😊- jealousy & fear of intimacy
• Both insecure types- vulnerable to loneliness (insecure-resistant (sample 2) most vulnerable)

Question 14

What was the conclusion of Hazan & Shaver’s internal working model study?

Answer 14

• % of adults in different attachment types match those of 👶 in Strange Situation studies
• Correlation between adults’ attachment style & memories of parenting styles received similar to Ainsworth’s findings- 👶 attachment styles correlated with degree of sensitivity shown by 🤰
• … SHOWS link between own parental upbringing & … attachment type and later life

Question 15

Which 4 behaviours are influenced by the internal working model?

Answer 15

1) Childhood friendships
2) Parenting
3) Romantic relationships
4) Mental health

Question 16

How does the internal working model affect childhood friendships & what evidence is there to support this?

Answer 16

• Minnesota child-parent study found continuity between early attachment & later emotional/social 🏃‍♂‍
• Individuals classified as securely attached in infancy = highest rated for social competence later in 👶hood, ⬇️ isolated, ⬆️ popular & ⬆️ empathetic
• Securely attached 👶 have ⬆️ expectations that others are friendly & trusting … easier form relationships with others

Question 17

How does the internal working model affect parenting & what evidence is there to support this?

Answer 17

• Harlow’s research with 🐵 demonstrated link between poor attachment & difficulties with parenting
• Lack of internal working model means individuals lack reference point to form relationships with own 👶- ✖️ have own experiences to use

Question 18

How does the internal working model affect romantic relationships & what evidence is there to support this?

Answer 18

• Hazan & Shaver (1987)- demonstrated link between early attachment type & later relationships
• Securely attached individuals to parents had longer-lasting romantic relationships

Question 19

How does the internal working model affect mental health?

Answer 19

• ✖️ attachment during critical period in development-> ✖️ internal working model
• 👶 with attachment disorder are unable to interact & relate to others

Question 20

Which 2 other psychologists conducted research into investigating the internal working model & what did they do/find?

Answer 20

1) Belsky (1999)- 👩 with secure 👶 hood attachments had ⬇️ conflict with husbands on topics such as ⏰ spent together & household division of labour than insecurely attached 👩
2) Bailey et al. (2007)- attachment types passed through generations of family- considered attachments of 99 🤰 to their 👶 & to own 🤰 . Mother-baby attachment assessed using the Strange Situation & 🤰-own-🤰 attachment assessed using interview- most 👩 had same attachment classification both to babies & own 🤰… suggests internal working model genetic/innate?

Question 21

What are the evaluation points for the influence of early attachment on later relationships (internal working model)?

Answer 21

👎- validity issues with IWM measuring studies- use of self report techniques (questionnaires & interviews) mean that parents may show social desirability bias (make out they have secure relationship with their 👶)- ALSO- parents may forget, lie or exaggerate attachment they had with their 👶
ALSO very few researchers use Strange Situation to measure attachment types … difficult to prove attachment patterns correct
… methodological issues affect validity of research because info given by pps may ✖️ be entirely accurate
👎- Evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed- Some strides like Bailey eat al (2007) show attachment type passed through generations BUT other studies e.g. Zimmerman (2000) found very little correlation between quality of 👶 & later attachment
👎- Association ✖️ mean causality (cause & effect)- continuity possibly explained by other factors e.g. parenting style/relationship may effect both attachment & 👶 ability to form relationships, 👶 temperament (e.g. 😊 & calm temperament-> 👍 relationship with primary caregiver & 👍 relationships in future … ✖️ necessary that early attachments influence later relationships- other factors may also explain correlation
👎- influence of early attachment probabilistic BUT ✖️ definite- Bowlby & others probably exaggerated significance of influence of early attachment on later relationships as ppl ✖️ always doomed to have 👎 relationships because of problems with attachments in 👶hood- at ⬆️ risk of problems although BUT being pessimistic about ppls future is an issue (ppl set for failure- already believe that relationships 👎)