The influence of attachment on later relationships Flashcards
Outline the internal working model.
-John Bowlby suggested that a baby’s first relationship with their primary attachment figure leads to a mental representation of this relationship.
-The internal working model acts as a template for future childhood and adult relationships.
-The quality of any baby’s first attachment is crucial as this template will affect the nature of their future relationships.
-A baby whose first experience of a relationship is loving, then they will assume this is how relationships are meant to be.
-A child with bad experiences of a first attachment will bring these bad experiences to layer relationships and so may struggle to form relationships in the first place.
Our attachment type is usually associated with the quality of our relationships throughout life.
If a baby’s first experience of a relationship is loving, then what will we assume their later relationships will be?
Loving
If a child has a secure attachment type, what would we expect their relationship with other children to be like?
Quality friendship.
If a child has a secure attachment type, what would we expect their romantic relationships in the future to be like?
Good, positive romantic relationships.
If a child has a secure attachment type, what would we expect their relationship with their future children to be like?
Secure
If a child has an insecure-resistant attachment type, what would we expect their relationship with other children to be like?
Likely to be bullies.
If a child has an insecure-avoidant attachment type, what would we expect their relationship with other children to be like?
Likely to be victims of bullying.
If a child has an insecure-resistant attachment type, what would we expect their future romantic relationships to be like?
Problems maintaining them.
If a child has an insecure-avoidant attachment type, what would we expect their future romantic relationships to be like?
Struggle with intimacy.
Outline research into how bullying behaviour can be predicted by attachment type.
Myron-Wilson and Smith used questionnaires to assess attachment type and bullying involvement in 196 children aged 7-11 from London. They found that securely attached children were least likely to be involved in bullying behaviour.
They also found that insecure-resistant children were more likely to be bullies whereas insecure avoidant children were likely to be victims of bullying.
Outline research into the influence of attachment on later relationships (can be AO1 or AO3)
Mcarthy studied 40 adult women who had been assessed when they were babies to establish their early attachment type. It was found that those who were securely attached babies had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships. Adults classed as insecure-resistant as babies had particular problems maintaining friendships and those classed as insecure-avoidant struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships.
Give a strength of research into the influence of attachment on later relationships. (research support).
A strength of the link between early attachment and later relationships is that it has research evidence to support it. For example, Hazan and Shaver (1987) conducted a ‘love quiz’. This quiz was printed in an American local newspaper and had three sections.
1) respondents current or most important relationship.
2) General love experiences.
3) Asked questions where the participants had to choose the statement that best described their feelings.
It was found that 56% of the respondents were identified as securely attached, 25% insecure-avoidant and 19% insecure-resistant. Those who were securely attached were the most likely to have good and longer lasting romances. The avoidant participants tended to reveal jealousy and fear of intimacy. These findings suggested that patterns of attachment are shown in romantic relationships.
Give a limitation of research into the influence of attachment on later relationships (confounding variables)
One limitation of studies into the influence of early attachment into later relationships is the development of confounding variables. Some studies do assess attachment in infancy which would mean the assessment of early attachment is valid. However even these studies may have validity issues as attachment quality may be affected by confounding variables. For example, parenting style may influence both attachment quality and later development. This means that we can never be entirely sure it is early attachment and not some other factor that is influencing layer development.
Give a limitation of research into the influence of attachment on later relationships (retrospective behaviour)
Another limitation of studies into the influence of early attachment on later relationships is that it relies on retrospective behaviour. Most research on the link between early attachment and later development are not longitudinal (they do not assess attachment in early life and then revisit the same participants later. Instead they ask adolescent or adult participants questioned about their relationships with their parents which relies on the honesty of the participants and it is hard to know wether early attachment or adult attachment is being assessed.
